The Stamp Of Gold
by Pwale
Summary: AU Kagome is forced to become a governess in Inuyasha's house. With a perverted valet, an opinionated maid, an overwhelming rancher, a demanding boss and old enemies breathing down their necks, will she ever survive? IK Complete!
1. Arrival

_Yay! Okay, I'm going to tackle two stories at once here. So bear with me…also, if anyone likes Sesshomaru centered stories, I'm writing one right now as well. It's from before (and during and a after) Inuyasha was born…and I love it! Just incase anyone's interested. _

_A/N: Okay, since I _know_ that most people will have forgotten her, Satsuki is not an OC. She is really in the manga (I'm near positive that she's in the anime too) and Shippo really does have a crush on her. _

_And yes, The Fire Rose by Mercedes Lackey in part, inspired this story. _

_Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or any copyrighted products and/or ideas. _

_**G**_

**_The Stamp Of Gold_**

_Arrival_

_By Pwalefriend_

_**G**_

"PERVERT!" The cry of outrage nearly shook the entire house. The loud SLAP sound that shortly followed only managed to break a couple of the more delicate glass animals that were nearby. A young man with golden eyes, long silver hair and dog ears jerked awake and shook his head as he listened to the screaming sounds of two of his more trusted servants fighting in the early morning hours. Well, actually it was about noon, but that was certainly early for Inuyasha Takahashi.

In the room below his dark one was a bright nursery where three children were playing. One boy and two girls. The boy was named Shippo and the girls were called Rin and Satsuki. Shippo and Rin had been passing the red ball that now rolled on the floor unnoticed to each other and Satsuki had been quietly reading her picture book when the fighting pair on the floor below them had jerked them from their happy world. Now they were all looking at one another, wide eyed, and each of them wondering how stupid Miroku could be.

"Now my dear Sango!" The man, Miroku, protested as he backed into a corner, away from the livid woman whose wrath he had just aroused. "No need to be violent!"

"Violent?" Sango, the woman, screeched. "_Violent?_ I'll show you _violent!"_ And with that she picked up a nearby chair and brought it down heavily on Miroku's head. The poor man was out faster then you could say, "Bob's your uncle".

Sango sniffed in disdain. Served him right too, groping her when he _knew_ that she was stressed. Her old friend Kagome Higurashi was coming today to join the household and Sango couldn't be more worried for her.

Sango had always been protective of her younger friend, even when they were little. And this house…the house where Sango had worked for the past ten years, ten years since she had seen Kagome…this house wasn't the safest of places. But the master, Inuyasha,_ needed_ somebody with Kagome's skills. And that she happened to be Sango's best friend was, in the masters eyes, an added plus.

They needed someone who was good with kids; someone who was knew their lore, someone who knew the ancient languages and someone who wouldn't balk at the first sign of the abnormal. This description was Kagome all over…but still…Sango couldn't help but be worried. Kagome's upbringing may have been unconventional in the modern world, but Kagome was still a very modern girl.

Frustrated Sango twitched her long skirt and sat down to wait by the door, leaving the unconscious Miroku to wake up on his own in the drawing room three doors down from the main hall where Sango sat.

_**G**_

Kagome Higurashi looked up from the letter that she had been re-reading for the hundredth time and looked out the window. The world beyond was grassy…grassy…grassy…lots and lots of grass…grass, grass, grass…oh! And would you look at that! _More_ grass! High grass, low grass, blue grass, green grass, dead grass and living grass, it didn't matter. There was lots and lots of grass. At least the rolling hills gave the landscape some variation and every now and again one would see sheep grazing peacefully and maybe a cow here and there but still! Kagome had never thought it possible for there to be so much grass at once. Kagome sighed again and went back to stare at the letter that she clutched, trying to ignore the way the train jostled and bumped her around in her seat.

_Dear Ms. Higurashi_

_My name is Inuyasha Takahashi and I have been looking for quite some time now for a governess of your criteria to oversee the children currently staying in my household. Their needs are peculiar and as such I cannot send them off to a boarding school and when consulted my servant Sango Tajiya gave me your name. I understand that she is a friend of yours, I'm sure that she would be most delighted if you came to stay. _

Kagome wasn't an idiot. She knew that last line was a foul underhanded trick to make her pity her friend and to soften her womanly heart. Kagome may have known that, but that didn't mean that it didn't work.

_There are three children. A boy named Shippo and two girls named Rin and Satsuki. The girls are my half-brother's children and the **boy** is an orphan that I took in some years ago._

The word _boy_ had been made darker then the other words, as if the writer had pressed down hard on the sheet and written the word with utmost concentration. The type of writing a person uses when they sincerely want to write something else.

_They are all **charming** and I feel **guilty** that my servants and I are all too busy in our day-to-day lives to offer the children the company and the guidance that they so **deserve**._

Again with the darker writing…

_I can understand perfectly if you're a little concerned with all of the finer details of my proposition. But we can discuss those as well as your contract when you arrive._

Sounded awfully confident that she would come, didn't he?

_I trust that the salary that my valet has outlined below will be enough to comfort your worries. I trust that you will be able to start as soon as possible. _

_Sincerely_

_Inuyasha Takahashi_

Kagome's eyes now drifted down once more to the second piece of paper that the valet had written. Apparently the man knew his master well enough to know that Mr. Takahashi did not have any practical knowledge when it came to requesting the service of a lady. The valet explained that her train ticket was already paid for, that this was all a request and not in fact an order, had told her where she was to be working and that meals and clothing and accommodations would all be arranged should she accept the proposition.

What Kagome didn't know was that it had taken hours for Miroku, the valet, to convince Inuyasha that Kagome wouldn't just show up out of no where once he decided that she should. It had then taken a couple days for him and Sango to convince Inuyasha that he couldn't just write:

_Bitch_

_You're hired. Get over here and get the brats to shut the hell up!_

Maybe it was for the best that she didn't know that…

Kagome sighed again. When she had accepted the job it had seemed like a good idea. She had been looking for a position like this one for quite some time now and when the letter had arrived she had been in such a bad financial situation that even a third of the salary that the valet had mentioned would have been very, _very_ tempting. As it was…she couldn't afford to refuse the job. _Her family_ couldn't afford for her to refuse the job.

And there it was. The real reason she was on a train going to the middle of nowhere to serve as a governess for three most likely very bratty and spoiled children and no one that she knew except a friend who may or may not be there, a friend who she hadn't seen for ten years. Her family. Kagome's father had recently died of pneumonia and left her family in debt with no means. Her grandfather was to old and senile to work, her brother was too young to work…legally. Her mother was bound by the sexism that bound so many, and with a family to provide for the now Widow Higurashi couldn't go to work…and that left Kagome.

Kagome had to give up a college education and a future career in science to become a governess so that she could send money back to her family so that they could stay in the shrine that had been in their family for generations.

The train began to slow and the compartment door slid open as the conductor stepped in and all the passengers looked up at him.

"Miss…" he said, addressing Kagome. "This is your stop."

Kagome blinked and stole a glance out the window as she stood and pulled down her luggage. She saw nothing but the sun beginning to set, grass, and a long dusty dirt road that was little more then a path and seemed to stretch on forever, and even more grass. She had thought that there would have at least been someone waiting for her.

Within moments Kagome had been hurried off the train by overly attentive conductors (apparently her new employer was some sort of hot-shot on the rails) and found herself standing on the small wooden platform with her carpet bag in one hand and her letter of employment and her book in the other. The book was a copy of the Odyssey and Kagome, with another sigh, sat down to read it for a little while as the train pulled out of sight. Maybe if she waited for a little while someone would come. They couldn't _honestly_ expect her to walk to a place she had never been and had no idea how to get to!

Kagome read up to the part where Poseidon sees Odysseus crossing the ocean in his raft when she finally got fed up and decided to walk down the road to see where it would take her. She didn't have much sunlight left and she'd be damned if she was going to be caught at a train station at night. She may not be considered very lady like, for example, she was no stranger to billiard parlors and clubs (she had quite often had to drag both her father and grandfather from such places) but that didn't mean she was completely without ladylike standards. Just because they didn't show, didn't mean they weren't there…

Well, that's what Kagome liked to think anyway.

Picking up her carpetbag and stuffing her copy of the Odyssey in it Kagome began to walk business-like down the dusty path-like road. Her footsteps made dust-clouds rise and settle on her light green travel suit, which made Kagome wince. She hoped that the valet had been honest when he said that her clothing would be provided, because this suit was all she had brought with her…there hadn't been enough room to bring anything else.

And if you had pointed out to Kagome that if she had packed less books there _would_ have been room for clothes Kagome would have chased you down screaming unwomanly profanities and you would have suffered a concussion from being whacked one to many times over the head with a carpet bag stuffed to the brim with big fat and juicy books.

Kagome mounted a hill that had blocked her view from the platform and, resisting the urge to give _herself_ a concussion with the carpet bag, growled obscenities as she walked slowly down to the large mansion that seemingly had sprung out of nowhere and was her new home.

"You idiot Kagome…" she told herself under her breath. "You didn't think to poke around before now? Sheesh…"

As Kagome passed under the wrought iron gates she looked up at the engraving. It said:

_Feudal Era_

_Homines scelesti. _

Kagome blinked. The valet had written that the mansion was called the Feudal Era…but the motto…

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" She wondered aloud. "Wicked people? But it's accusative…"

"We're not actually sure." Said a man's voice from in front of her. Kagome jumped and looked to see a tall handsome man with startling blue eyes and black hair long enough to be pulled back into a ponytail. "Personally I think that the engraver just had bad eyesight and bad hand writing." He smiled at her charmingly and held out his hand. Kagome looked him in the eyes for a moment, his smile didn't reach them. "My name is Koga, and you must be Miss Higurashi." He said warmly, though his eyes still glinted coldly. "We've been waiting for you."

"Please, call me Kagome." She said, taking his hand and shaking it, smiling kindly. She resisted the urge to smirk when she felt him try to overpower her hand in the shake and instead she forced his to the bottom of the shake. She savored the surprise and shock that washed through his eyes though he was careful to keep it from his face. Her father had taken great care in teaching her to shake hands like a man, and it was a way to protest sexism without going out and donning bloomers, as Kagome had learned in her years of academia.

"I'm sorry to have kept you waiting." She said, hoisting her carpetbag a little in her hand and staring pointedly into Koga's eyes. "It's just that this bag is _so_ heavy." She said, resisting the urge to snicker. Koga had managed to get on her bad side immediately, after all…if he had been waiting at the gate for a long time (which was what it looked like from the half empty beer bottle she saw lying not to far away) then he should have thought to come and check up on her. So now, in regards to her private embarrassment, she would have her revenge!

And if you had pointed out to her that this was completely illogical then you would have ended up back in the hospital with another concussion and the nurses would, at this point, probably start making jokes at your expense.

After Kagome's comment Koga, who had to keep up the pretense of being a perfect gentleman, had no choice but to carry the _incredibly_ heavy bag to the house as Kagome walked briskly in front of him. He glared after her, silently wondering how the woman _had_ managed to carry the bag that far. It was very, _very_ heavy. How heavy? Have you ever carried a true bookworms bag as she or he leaves the library? Those books are only for the week…imagine if that same bookworm had to get enough books to last them a year at least? Now imagine carrying the bag…

…

You just imagined waking up in the hospital with a broken back, didn't you?

_**G**_

"Look Miroku!" Sango was saying. "I don't _care_ if Inuyasha wants her to start immediately! She's spent _two days_ on a train! She'll need to rest and eat some decent food and mark my words her mind will be set on nothing but a decent bath! The kids can wait till morning!"

"But _Sango!_" Miroku whined. "What are we supposed to do with them? Kohaku let it slip that she was coming today and now they're bouncing off the walls and Inuyasha's threatening to throw them out!" Sango gaped at him.

"You mean they're still _up!" _She demanded, outraged. "You _idiot!_ They were supposed to be in bed an _hour_ ago!" And with that Sango took off running to the children's playroom, leaving her post by the door for the first time since that morning, leaving a baffled Miroku behind.

"But it's not even dark yet!" Miroku protested to the empty entrance hall on the children's behalf, unknowingly repeating what the little devils themselves were saying at that exact moment. Miroku merely shook his head. Women. He'd never understand them.

_Knock! Knock!_

Miroku blinked and turned around, was that someone at the door?

_Knock! Knock!_

Miroku's head jerked a little bit and he began to smile brilliantly. Could it be? Was it she? Dared he hope?

Miroku opened the door to find a cross young woman with delicate features, shoulder length ebony hair and liquid, expressive eyes the color of willow bark…eyes that currently flashed with annoyance.

"About time you opened up!" She snapped. "Now get this oaf to shut up!"

Miroku peered behind her and saw an offended looking Koga with an awkward carpetbag in his hands. He winced.

"He's not telling you about the time he won at horseshoes, is he?" Miroku asked hesitantly.

"How he managed to tell me five times in so many minutes I have no idea and I was the one trying not to listen." The young woman said curtly. Then she sighed. "I'm sorry, I'm not usually in such a foul mood."

"It's quite alright." Miroku said. "Most travelers are in a nasty temper by the time they reach their destination…and most travelers don't have to deal with Koga as soon as they arrive. Come in, you must be Miss Higurashi?"

"Yes, call me Kagome, please." She said, walking past him into the entrance hall. "I'm sorry, you would be?"

"Call me Miroku." He said, then took her hands and knelt down. "Kagome, it's rare to see a beauty such as yourself. Would you do me the honor of bearing my child?" He asked. And icy silence fell on the trio, and Koga smirked.

"Carpet bag, ma'am?" He asked, holding it out.

"Please." Kagome said, taking it with one hand and then bringing it down with a lovely THUMP noise on poor Miroku's head. Miroku slumped to the floor, only to be shouldered seconds later by Koga.

"I'd better take him to Kaede." Koga said with a shake of his head.

"Who?" Kagome asked curiously.

"I dare say you'll meet her in the morning." Koga said, before running away down the hall and up the grand marble staircase, passing Sango who was coming down on his way up.

"What happened to the pervert?" Sango asked.

"Your long-lost friend." Koga said, nodding back to the ground floor. Sango looked and gasped.

"Kagome!" She cried joyfully. Kagome looked up and gasped as well.

"Sango?" Kagome said. "Sango!"

The two women ran to each embraced, holding the other tight and crying tears of joy and laughing and talking and jumping up and down together, all at once. Koga, who was watching them, shook his head. Women. He'd never understand them.

Koga turned and proceeded onto Kaede's with Miroku. He'd trust Sango to settle Kagome in for the night…what he wanted to do was go back outside and finish that beer bottle and then get to his own bed for the night. It had been a very long day for Koga.

_**G**_

_Well, I know that this isn't a very good ending spot, but the chapter was long enough as it was. Please remember to review and tell me what you thought! Or just say…I read the first chapter of The Stamp Of Gold. _

_Sincerely_

_Pwalefriend. _


	2. Meet The Kids

_**A special thank you to…**_

_Miko no Kaze_

_alchemistgrl09_

_Aria-wolfstar_

_katcastle_

_Al_

_elvira-inu-gurl_

_Disclaimer: I un claim. _

_**The Stamp Of Gold**_

_**Meet The Kids**_

_By Pwalefriend_

_**G**_

The sunlight slowly trickled into the room and played slowly across her face, making little designs throughout the room as it shone through the tree leaves and the mottled window glass. Kagome blinked a couple times and then yawned loudly. She stretched like a cat and tried to sit up when she noticed a strange heavy weight on her chest. Looking down Kagome saw an abnormally fat cat sitting on her.

"…hello there." Kagome said to it. Unlike most ignorant humans Kagome did not believe that humanoids were the only intelligent beings. Well, look at the evidence. Before the humanoids got so "smart" nothing was in danger of extinction and there wasn't any air pollution. Oh yes, humanoids were just doing a bloody brilliant job all right. Heavy on the sarcasm.

But that did not give cats the right to walk all over her. She knew that type.

"You need to get off of me now." Kagome told the kitty. The kitty looked up at her with one eye…and gave her…that…_look_…

If you have ever told a cat to move then you know exactly the look I'm talking about. That cute, furry look that relays a sense of utter betrayal and hurt, and yet at the same time clearly states that you are a lower being and therefore you do not have the authority to move the Oh So Great And Wonderful And Awesome Being Of Dignity And Poise And Honor And Panache And Humbleness And Cunning And Sophistication And Prowess. That look that leaves you helpless in the face of feline furriness.

But Kagome had one last resource…she had dealt with this type of cat before, and she wouldn't be bested this early in the game.

"SANGO!" She screamed at the top of her lungs. "SANGO! PLEASE SANGO! I NEED YOUR HELP! HELP! HELP! SAN-GOOOOO!"

Suddenly Sango burst into the room with a big broom in one hand and a cast iron skillet in the other.

"What is it!" Sango asked, glancing around the room. "What's wrong!"

"Sango…" Kagome whined from the bed. "Sango…I can't get up!" Sango looked down at her friend and immediately saw the problem.

"What's wrong?" Asked a new voice from behind Sango. A young boy wearing a pair of overalls and a loose plaid shirt stepped into the room.

"Kohaku!" Kagome whined, she was quite familiar with her best friends younger brother, and had greeted him last night. "Kohaku, save me!" Kagome pleaded. Kohaku sighed and went over and without a moments pause scooped the big fat cat off Kagome and dumped the poor defenseless kitty unceremoniously onto the floor. Sango and Kagome both gasped, horrified.

"Kohaku, how could you?" Kagome asked.

"I thought Mama raised you better then that!" Sango said.

"How could you be so cruel to the poor kitty?" Kagome demanded.

"What?" Kohaku asked, then he shook his head. "Never mind, you're both crazy." He turned to Kagome. "The boss says that if you don't shut those damn brats up soon he'll come down here himself and knock some sense into both you _and_ them."

"Hmm?" Kagome asked, but Kohaku had already left the room. Kagome looked to Sango questioningly. The older girl shrugged.

"He's probably gone down to the stables." Sango explained. "He works with the horse-mistress, Kanna. And then whenever we need someone to sign anything about the horses it's always Kohaku who does it, even though Kanna's the one who's really in charge." She and Kagome exchanged an exasperated glance. They both shared the same opinions about the sexism that bound them into their places.

"Ah…" Kagome said. Sango shrugged again.

"But no, Kohaku…" Sango trialed off and looked out the door after her younger brother. "You just can't keep him away from the horses. He loves them so much." Sango looked at Kagome, just a little bit sadly. "Sometimes I think he loves them more then he loves _me_." She said.

"Sango…" Kagome sat up quickly and stretched her hand out to comfort her old friend. They had renewed their friendship last night, and now the bond between them was as strong as ever. They were like sisters again.

"What are you fair ladies talking about this morning?" Miroku asked, suddenly popping up out of nowhere.

"…"

"…"

"…Miroku?" Sango said in a very sweet voice. Miroku looked a little nervous.

"Yes, oh fairest Sango?" He asked as he began to back up.

"DON'T YOU KNOW BETTER THEN TO WALK INTO A LADIES BEDROOM BEFORE SHE'S PROPER!" Sango screamed as she dropped the broom and lifted the cast iron skillet high above her head.

"AHHH!" Miroku screamed like a girl and then took off down the corridor, Sango chasing after him, screaming different painful things that she was going to do to him once she caught him.

Kagome shook her head and laughed. Getting up she kicked the broom out of her bedroom and into the hallway before closing the door and looking around.

She had been so busy getting settled last night, and with getting reacquainted with Sango and Kohaku that she hadn't had time to really examine her new accommodations. So now she took the opportunity.

It was a simple enough room. Spacey, but not cavernous and small enough to be comfortable. A four-poster bed was next to the window, and there were dark blue curtains that could be pulled but Kagome had chosen not to. The linens on the bed had been lush and soft and quite comfortable, Kagome had been quite pleased. There was a chest at the end of the bed that was filled with fresh sheets should Kagome ever find need for them. There was a dresser on one wall for her to put her clothes and next to the dresser a full-length mirror. On either side of the door was a tall bookshelf, one of which Kagome had already filled about half of with all the books in her carpetbag. She was hoping to save some of her earnings and then when she had enough she could ask for a publishers list and order herself some new books, but that was a while off yet. The walls were all painted a nice light shade of blue that was light enough to keep the room at a mellow tone but dark enough to be too dark for a pastel color. Kagome liked this room, what she didn't like was the two paintings above her bed.

One was of a bowl of flowers and the other was of a bowl of fruit.

Have you ever seen anything duller?

Kagome resolved to be rid of those paintings as soon as possible and then she went and opened the top dresser drawer, hoping against hope that there would be something useful there.

Thankfully, there was.

Kagome smiled as she spun around a little in front of the full-length mirror. She loved this dress. She positively _loved_ this dress. When she twisted her hips it went _spin-spin-spin_ and the fabric was so soft and when the skirt went _spin-spin-spin_ the fabric made a fun noise like _fwoosh-fwoosh-fwoosh._ Kagome giggled like a little girl and spun around a little more. Not to mention the dress was _comfortable_. Something that was rare in dresses. And it was _colorful_ as well. It wasn't as lavish as quite a couple of the dresses in the dresser, but Kagome loved it. And it was so much _fun_ to wear!

_Knock! Knock!_

"Kagome?" Came Sango's voice through the door. "Are you decent?"

Kagome crept to the door, a wicked smirk on her face.

"Kagome?" Came Sango's voice again, this time a little bit worried. "You there?"

Kagome suddenly jerked open the door and screamed.

"BOO!"

"AHHHHH!" Sango screamed, jumping back. Kagome began to laugh uproariously and doubled over.

"It's not funny!" Sango protested at the top of her lungs.

"Yes it is!" Kagome cried. Oh! She was so happy! She hadn't felt this good since her father had died three months ago.

Sango huffed. "Come on." She said. "I'm to bring you to the children. They've been waiting for you."

Kagome looked up.

"Really?" She asked. "Shouldn't I meet with Mr. Takahashi first?" Kagome was confused. Sango snorted.

"Normally, yes, but that lazy lout isn't exactly normal. And when he says that he just might knock some sense into those brats he means that he might actually come down here and pound Shippo on the head a couple times."

"Shippo?" Kagome asked, her impression of her new employer becoming lower and lower by the minute.

"You'll meet him as soon as we get there." Sango said and she began to lead Kagome down the corridor, to the left and up the grand staircase another floor, heading to the nursery.

_**G**_

Shippo was nervously bouncing up and down next to the door. Rin and Satsuki were both watching him as he went up and down and up and down on the balls of his feet.

"When do you think she's going to get here?" Shippo asked.

"Whenever Missy Sango brings her I guess." Rin said.

"I wonder if she'll like me…us…" Shippo said, worriedly.

"Of course she will!" Satsuki said.

"What exactly is she?" Rin asked.

"Well…" Satsuki said wisely. She was the oldest of the three and as such she had to be the wisest…even though she was only older then Shippo by a couple days. "She's going to be nice to us and she's going to put us to bed and she's going to protect us from Inuyasha…she's going to be like a new mommy!" Satsuki finished proudly. Rin gasped.

"But I already _have_ a mommy!" Rin protested. "I don't wanna 'nother one!" Rin started to cry and Shippo, seeing her tears, looked like he was about to start to panic. But Satsuki calmly placed a hand on Rin's shoulder and began to comfort the younger girl.

"She's gonna be your new auntie." Satsuki explained. "Only kids like me and Shippo who don't already have a mommy get new mommy's. If you already have a mommy then you get a new auntie." Rin stopped crying and looked up at Satsuki with wide eyes.

"Really? A new auntie?" Rin asked innocently. Satsuki nodded.

"Yeah." Satsuki said. "And since she'll be our new mommy then she'll be a lot nicer then your old auntie."

"Auntie Kanna is too nice!" Rin protested. "She's just shy! You scare her."

"I do not!"

"Do too!"

"Do not!"

"Do too! She told me!" Rin said and then stuck her tongue out at Satsuki, thus winning the argument. Satsuki lowered her head a moment, and in that moment Shippo decided to hide behind the pillows. After a moment of silence Satsuki raised her face again and began to bawl.

"_Wahhh! I'm not scary!"_ Satsuki cried at the top of her lungs. "_I don wanna be scary! Waahhh!"_

Suddenly the door opened and in came Missy Sango and the new lady.

_**G**_

When Kagome opened the door the first thing she heard was the sobs of a little girl. Alarmed she looked down and saw two little girls on the floor. One of them (the smaller one) was looking up at her with big surprised eyes, and the other was crying. The bigger girl broke off her tears when Kagome walked into the room, and then she too looked at Kagome. Kagome didn't see the huge green eyes peering out at her over a huge stack of pillows.

"Uh-oh…not again." Sango muttered. Kagome looked at Sango for an explanation and the maid sighed. "Satsuki's very emotional…I'd help, but I'm late enough as it is!" Sango looked as if she had just remembered something very important. In other words, she looked panicked. "I've gotta go!" And with that Kagome's last lifesaver took off down the corridor and back down the stairs, leaving Kagome to face the salty oceans of childcare alone.

Kagome knelt in front of the crying girl, Satsuki she assumed it was, and gently put a hand on the little girls knee. The other girl was watching her closely, and Kagome was quite aware that these next few moments were crucial.

"Hello love…" Kagome said. "Do you want to tell me what's wrong?" She focused on making her voice as gentle and soft as she could make it, and on making her expression as…well…wise and motherly as she could make it, even though inside she was feeling completely lost and confused. The girl Satsuki looked up at Kagome for a moment, and then leapt into her arms. Kagome blinked in surprise but then hugged the girl back when she felt little arms encircle her neck.

"_I'm not mean!_" Satsuki wailed.

"Who said you were mean?" Kagome drew back and looked at Satsuki with wide eyes.

"I didn't say you were mean!" Rin said. "I said you scared Auntie Kanna!"

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

The two girls glared at each other for a moment and then turned to regard a stack of pillows with fiery anger. Kagome was confused. Why were they glaring at the pillows?

"Shippo!" Both girls choused. From inside the pillows a little head stuck itself out, and Kagome nearly squealed at how cute the little youkai boy who was currently glaring back at them was.

"I had nothing to do with this!" He said, then turned his attention to Kagome.

And then, at that moment…it happened…

Kagome realized what she had to do…

She had…

To become…

Her mother…

"…I get a raise for this." Kagome said. The children all looked at her in confusion. "Why don't we all forget it and you can all come here and tell me about yourselves." Kagome said, making her lap bigger and setting Satsuki on one knee she beckoned to the two other children.

"I'm Rin." Said Rin.

"I'm Shippo." Said Shippo.

"I'm a horse on the open plains of Avalon." Said Satsuki. Kagome's eyes widened and her eyebrows shot open. The three children, all of who had somehow managed to claim a little part of her lap, all giggled at her expression. Kagome's back was starting to ache, and she tried to subtly scoot over to lean on the wall, but only succeeded in subtly scooting over to lean on the door, thus preventing anyone from entering the nursery.

"Should I call you A-horse-on-the-open-plains-of-Avalon, or is there another name you like to go by?" Kagome asked Satsuki. Satsuki and Rin giggled and Shippo sighed.

"You can call me Satsuki." Satsuki a.k.a. A-horse-on-the-open-plains-of-Avalon said. "Everyone else does."

"Well, I'm glad that I can call you Satsuki, Satsuki." Kagome said. "My name is Kagome, and I'm here to be your-"

But Shippo interrupted her.

"Our new mommy!" He asked, excited. Kagome's mouth snapped closed with an audible click. She opened and shut her mouth several times before she was able to trust herself to answer.

"Not quite." She said. Rin stuck her tongue out at Satsuki. "But I am here to be your governess, and depending on the governess, that could be a lot like a…an auntie." Kagome could not quite bring herself to say mommy.

"So then you're married to Uncle Inuyasha?" Rin asked. Kagome nearly fainted on the spot.

"Is he your uncle?" She asked weakly. Rin nodded severely.

"He's not very nice though." She said. "He's always yelling at Shippo when Shippo doesn't do nothing but bite Uncle Inuyasha's ears."

Kagome turned to regard Shippo and the little boy 'eep'-ed and then his face in the crook of her arm.

"Well," Kagome said thoughtfully. "Next time your Inuyasha yells at one of you, or hits one of you, you come to me and we'll see what we can do about it, eh?"

The three children all looked at Kagome, very confused.

"Like what?" Shippo asked.

"Well," Kagome said. "I…I don't know. But I brought some books, lets see if we can't find anything in these."

"How could _books_ help?" Satsuki asked, doubtful.

"Oh, but this is a very _special_ book." Kagome said in a very sincere book. "This book has all sorts of things in it, and it's about two boys who get into the most wild adventures." She pulled out one of the books she had brought to the nursery and before there could be any more complaints she began to read, and soon enough the three children were swept away in the story, as most little children are once you begin to read to them.

_**G**_

A couple hours later the foursome had managed to finish the first chapter of Tom Sawyer and managed to come up with two completely different very imaginative and beyond utterly immature acts of revenge. Kagome had managed to be best friends with the children _and_ had managed to trick them into having a math lesson without any of them even noticing! That was a feat worth commending! Kagome was hoping to take them for a walk later and then she could sneak in some art and science lessons, but first things first. And the first thing just happened to be…lunch.

Yes, the one and only thing on Kagome's mind at the moment was…lunch.

Lunch.

Lunch.

Lunch.

"In England they even call it luncheon, or so I'm told." She informed her newest comrades-in-crime as they led her to the kitchens to pack a picnic for themselves. "And snooty old professors at universities and college's call it luncheon as well." Kagome hadn't gotten along with many of her professor's back at the university in Tokyo.

The children giggled. They had never met an adult who treated them like this before. They all liked Kagome. She treated them like…like…like they were _big kids_.

"And some places they even have _several_ lunches…" Kagome said dreamily. "With cucumber sandwiches and tea…and they call that Tea. And in some funny books that I've read, with faeries and dragons and knights in shining amour and the like, well…there's this one type of folk, and they have luncheons and noonies and elevensies and all other manners of different times that they eat, and snacks in between too!" She shook her head. "Sorry ducks, I'm not usually this fixated on food. It's just I never ate breakfast and now I'm starved!"

They turned a corner and then found themselves, once again, descending the grand (and as Kagome was beginning to suspect, the _only_) staircase down to the main hall. From there the children pulled Kagome to the right and through some large doors into the dining room. From there they headed to the large doors in the back of the dining room to enter…the kitchens.

And for a hungry soul like Kagome, those kitchens were heaven.

Servants were bustling about, mixing this and dishing that. There was stirring and frying and baking and puréeing and mashing and…well, all sorts of stuff.

"Is there a fancy dinner tonight or something?" Kagome asked, all agog. Shippo, who spent much of his time sneaking down to the kitchens, shook his head.

"Nope." He said. "It's always like this. Kaede likes to cook more then anyone will eat and then grumble about how she slaves away to make things that no one will eat." Kagome blinked. Kaede…that sounded familiar.

"Isn't she the woman that Koga brought Miroku to last night after I…" But then, remembering whom she was speaking to, Kagome trailed off. Too late though.

"Did you make him fall asleep like Missy Sango does when he touches her?" Rin asked innocently. The children may have been innocent, but her answering blush was not lost on them.

"Yep!" Shippo said beaming. "Kaede's the one you want! She's not really the cook, officially she's the doctor…but Inuyasha's too cheap to buy a cook when he can just have Kaede do it, and Kaede doesn't mind."

Kagome shook her head. She couldn't imagine being in charge of this…this _culinary metropolis_ and _then_ be the healer of and colossal ranch! And it wasn't even a ranch! From what Kagome could tell Inuyasha was just a really rich man who had bought a huge ranch, sacked all the ranch hands, kept a couple to keep the place looking nice, and hired servants to do his every last whim! She had looked out the window and had seen no agriculture or any other resource that might keep the man so rich. _How_ did he keep it all up?

Oh well. Some mysteries were best left until later.

_Later_ meaning, Kagome decided, until after _food_.

_**G**_

_Thank you for reading! The next chapter will come soon! Maybe not **as** soon as this one, but still! Please, please, please remember to review! You've done such a wonderful job so far!_

_Sincerely_

_Pwalefriend _


	3. Exercise Is Good For The Lungs

_Regarding many…no, regarding **all** the evil things that happen in this chapter. To see the characters expressions…merely picture Calvin when he gets a water balloon. It is that expression. _

_I am so sorry that this chapter is so short. But I knew that I had to give you **something**. _

_**A thank you to…**_

_**alchemistgrl09**_

_**Miko no Kaze**_

_**flynfreako**_

_**elvira-inu-gurl**_

_**elemental-girl**_

_**Aria-wolfstar**_

**_Al: What did I say about Y'all? And don't make me go into y'are!_**

_**Remenescent **_

_Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. _

_**The Stamp Of Gold**_

_**Exercise Is Good For The Lungs**_

_By Pwalefriend_

_**G**_

Rin and Satsuki were running on ahead of the group and Shippo was riding on Kagome's shoulders as they walked over the sea of grass to what Shippo had informed Kagome was a lovely picnic spot. In one hand Kagome swung a wicker picnic basket and in the other she carried Tom Sawyer, in case the children wanted to read some more. Also, tucked in a sash at her waist, Kagome had some bandages and ointment. Kagome was no beginner and she knew as well as the next that if a child can get hurt, a child _will_ get hurt. It is one of their goals in life, to get as many tiny scrapes as possible and create a loud a fuss and frenzy over the many tiny scrapes as possible. Kagome was laughing at something that Shippo was telling her and Shippo was beaming with pride, glad that his story was making the nice lady laugh.

"And _then_ Koga came in and started telling the story of how he won that one time at horseshoes, _again_!" Shippo crowed triumphantly. Kagome gasped through her laughter.

"He _didn't!"_ She protested. Shippo nodded.

"But he did!" The little boy said. "Kagura almost _killed_ him!"

Kagura, apparently, was Rin's adoptive mother. The youkai had married Rin's adoptive father, Sesshomaru. Kagome, though her curiosity had been awakened, did not press Shippo for more information regarding Rin's parentage. Not only were children infamous for giving the wrong information, but also because it just wasn't the right thing to do. It could very well be a topic better left unspoken, and it was far too early in her relationship with the little dears for her to ask for trust. But that didn't mean that she wasn't going to find out, oh no! She was going to ask Sango the first chance she got!

"We're here!" Chorused Rin and Satsuki from up ahead. Kagome looked up and her mouth dropped open in surprise.

Trees…there were _trees_…_lots and lots of trees_…it…

"No…" Kagome whispered. "It…it can't be…"

But it _was_.

It was a whole…

A big…

Big…

Wide…

FOREST!

What, you say? All that fuss over a _forest_? Well, let me tell you! The shrine where Kagome had grown up had bordered a small forest, a rare commodity in modern Tokyo, and Kagome had found that she had never felt quite at home anywhere _but_ the forest. Did you know that when someone who lives in the mountains leaves there hills for the flat lands…they can barely breathe? Did you know that when someone who lives in the sticks goes to the city…they can't calm down? Did you know that when someone who lives in the forest goes to the plains…they begin to fear for there life? And Kagome was no different…well, no different in _that_ respect. She was different in plenty of other ways! But we don't really need to go into that…

"C'mon Kagome! C'mon!" Shippo said, pulling her into the forest. "I wanna show you the _tree_!"

"Yeah! And then we can show you the haunted well and…and _everything!_" Rin cried.

"Yeah!" Satsuki agreed as the two girls jumped up and down, hugging each other in their excitement. Despite the pairs earlier…disagreement it appeared that they were the best of friends and one was rarely seen without the other, unlike Shippo who apparently quite often liked to slip off on his own to go cause trouble and then had been known to sometimes blame it on his female counterparts. But, from the revenge ideas that the girls had supplied earlier, Kagome figured that when he did frame them it rarely went _unnoticed_.

"C'mon Kagome! C'mon!" Shippo yelled, bouncing up and down on her shoulders and kicking his legs in agitation. "We don't have _all day_!"

Kagome laughed and, instead of taking offense as some people might have, walked into the dark forest more confidently then most do…well, actually more confidently then most _should. _Walking that confidently, as I've noticed, almost always leads to you either becoming very lost, or very late. Kagome, on the other hand, hadn't noticed that yet.

_**G**_

It took them about five minutes to get to the tree. When Kagome saw it she stood back a moment and gasped. Shippo, who had gotten off her shoulder, and Rin both ran right up to the Tree and started looking for the squished acorns that they had left last time they had played at the Tree. Satsuki looked up at Kagome curiously, and took the cake from the picnic basket when Kagome wasn't looking.

"Ha ha!" Satsuki shouted as she began to run around the tree. "I got the cake! I got the cake! Nya-na-na-na-na!" She cried in a sing-song voice.

"Hey! No fair!" Shippo cried.

"Here Shippo!" Rin threw him a corner of the picnic blanket that she had been carrying. When Shippo caught it he got a very evil look on his face.

Kagome realized what they were planning a moment too late.

"No!" She cried, running forward with her arms out to stop them. "Don't-"

But it was too late! Shippo and Rin had both held opposite ends of the blanket and had crouched down on one side of the tree, the blanket spread between them. Satsuki, so caught up in gloating as she was, didn't see the danger until she had fallen into the trap! She had run _right into it_! That is to say, she had run right into the blanket. And then…Kapwing! Shippo and Rin sprang into action. Like a spider it's insect prey they wrapped up Satsuki in the blanket, only her hand, still grasping the cake, was free of the fabric cage. A rather scratchy fabric cage at that.

"Yum, yum." Rin said as she and Shippo took the cake from Satsuki's hands. "You shouldn't have done that Satsuki-chan." Rin and Shippo giggled loudly.

"_Wahhh!_" Satsuki began to cry, so loudly that Kagome, who was running over, could hear it. Kagome ran faster. _"Wahh…you hate me! They all hate me!"_

Kagome pulled the blanket off Satsuki, throwing a disappointed glance over at Rin and Shippo, who looked down to the ground guiltily. Once the blanket was off her Satsuki brushed off Kagome who was trying to comfort her, and ran off into the woods. Kagome was frozen for a moment, nearly began crying herself when she realized that this meant her lunch was even _more_ delayed…and then took off after Satsuki.

Up in the tree a pair of angry golden eyes glinted and the being that the eyes belonged to prepared to show those brats who was in charge.

_**G**_

_Oh no! Poor Shippo-kun and Rin-chan! _

_I am **so, so** sorry about this chapter. I had big plans for it, but then I realized that if I put it all in one chapter, it wouldn't work out right. Also, I had a little bit of writers block…you know, that happens when you've got a stupid cold. But I've got the week off so I'm pretty sure that I'll be able to give you the next chapter pretty soon. _

_And to make up for this chapter, the next one will be loads longer. And Inuyasha and Kagome will..well…not exactly **meet**_**…**_but…_

_Let's just say those revenge plans are going to come in handy. _

_See you next time! _

_Remember to review!_

_Sincerely _

_Pwalefriend_


	4. Dare To Be Presumptious

_**A special thanks to…**_

_**Miko no Kaze**_

_**alchemistgrl09**_

_**elvira-inu-girl**_

_**Remenescent**_

_**Aria-wolfstar**_

_**There was another person to, coughAlcough…but she used those cursed words. So she must now feel slighted! Mwah-ha-ha!**_

_Disclaimer: Inuyasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi-sensei, Shogakukun, Yomiuri TV and Sunrise 2000. Whatever any of that is. _

_A/N: Sorry about the late update. I meant to update sooner, but I got sick on Sunday, and I had to spend the entire day in bed feeling miserable. Seriously, I had problems just opening my eyes. And THEN yesterday, when I tried to load this, it just...wouldn't load. Sorry._

…

…

_If this were a musical Satsuki would sing the Worm Song. _

"_Nobody likes me, everybody hates me. I think I'll go eat worms, fat ones, long ones…" ect ect _

_**The Stamp Of Gold**_

_**Dare To Be Presumptuous **_

_By Pwalefriend_

_**G**_

When Kagome finally caught up with the runaway Satsuki she was out of breathe and had developed and stitch in her side. Satsuki was crying into the wooden surface of an old dry well, as Kagome saw when she had recovered her wind.

"_Waahh!"_ Satsuki sobbed. _"Nobody likes me…" _

Kagome winced. She had met this type before; the type of child who was convinced that it was them against the entire world…and that was all there was to be said. Rarely could children like that be shaken from their view, even when they were all grown up.

"That's not true Satsuki." Kagome said in a soft voice, coming up from behind the little girl and kneeling down next to her. "_I_ like you, and I just met you!" Satsuki sniffed a couple times and then looked up at Kagome with big watery eyes.

"Really?" Satsuki asked. "You're not just saying that?"

"Of course I'm not!" Kagome protested. Satsuki looked at her, a little suspicious. Then she stuck out her pinky.

"Promise?" She asked of Kagome. Kagome smiled kindly and then entwined her own larger and longer pinky finger with Satsuki's smaller and chubbier one.

"I promise." Kagome said.

"_WAAAHHHH!_" Suddenly a great cry shook the forest and Kagome and Satsuki both looked up, startled. A moment later Shippo and Rin both came running out of the forest at top speed, both of them screaming.

"KAGOME! KAGOME!" They cried. "KAGOME! SAVE US!" They screamed. Shippo and Rin both skidded to a halt and then his behind her skirt.

Kagome couldn't have been more confused.

"What is it?" She asked. "What's wrong?"

"Inuyasha's mad at us!" Rin whined.

"He's gonna kill me! He's gonna kill me! He's gonna kill me!" Shippo babbled. He looked up at Kagome. "He's gonna kill me!" He said. Kagome's heart ached when she saw the tears of fear in the little boys green eyes. "He's gonna kill me!" Apparently this was all he could say.

"Huh?" Kagome said, still very confused.

"He's gonna kill m-"

Kagome picked Shippo up and hugged him to her, rocking him back and forth, as much as to comfort him as to get him to shut up.

"Why don't you both calm down and tell me and Satsuki what happened." Kagome suggested. But inside she was thinking. _'Life! I haven't been here a whole day and already they're this attached to me? How neglected could they have been!' _

"Well…" Rin began. "It all started as soon as you left the clearing, chasing after Satsuki…" Rin's voice took on a softer quality as she began to tell what misfortune had befallen them. She used hand gestures to make her point clearer…seeing her actions Kagome's eyebrows rose a notch but she still listened closely to Rin.

Apparently Rin was going to have a career in story telling.

"Shippo and I looked at each other, we were wondering whether we should stay at the tree and set up the picnic or follow you two. And if we were to follow you two, did we bring the picnic basket? We were just looking at each other and wondering just what I told you, when suddenly Uncle Inuyasha jumped from out of the top of the tree! He had been there the whole time! Can you believe it? And when he comes down he glares at us for a second and in the second we realize that we are in _big_ trouble…but we don't know why. Then he says,

"Do you two have any idea how much racket you were making!" And we say-"

But here Shippo interrupted her.

"He did not say that!" Shippo protested. "He said-"

Kagome gasped in shock when she heard a sentence of foul and crude language come out of Shippo's mouth. Apparently Mr. Takahashi didn't understand the concept of restraint in language when addressing young ears.

"Shippo!" Satsuki cried, just as shocked as Kagome. "Just because Inuyasha talks like that doesn't mean you should!"

"Well it's what he _said!_" Shippo protested. "I just wanted to make sure she got it right!"

"If you two will _please_ let me finish!" Rin said indignantly. Kagome resisted the urge to giggle; that was the thing she loved the most about children. They were normal people, complete with all the quirks, except they were a lot cuter, a lot sweeter, and a lot nicer then people.

"As I was saying, before I was so rudely interrupted," Rin started again, with a quick glare at Shippo who buried his head back into Kagome's chest. "He yelled at us in foul language and then bopped Shippo on the head. We ran to find you then, but as we were running off he shouted at us that he was going to…" Rin paused for dramatic effect. "Kill Shippo." Rin finished in a hushed voice, then she sat back with a self-satisfied look on her face.

Kagome closed her eyes for a second so that she could better process this new information. In the second that her eyes were closed a person of red, silver and gold that had been hiding in the trees flashed away back towards the mansion, where he could safely hide in his room for the rest of the day.

Kagome opened her eyes.

Now, Kagome was no fool, she knew that children, especially small children, had a tendency to exaggerate situations. But there was one way to tell…

"Shippo?" Kagome asked softly. "Do you have a bump where Mr. Takahashi hit you?"

It took Shippo a moment to realize that when Kagome said Mr. Takahashi she meant Inuyasha…or rather Baka-Yasha, as Shippo preferred to call him.

"Ah!" He said. "Yes I do!" Shippo nodded a few times. "Right here." Shippo bowed his head so that Kagome could see the top of it and then pointed at his unruly mop of orange hair in general. "See it?" He asked.

Kagome politely refrained from answering and instead she began to gently sift through his head in search of the bump. When she found it she winced sympathetically.

Kagome had never before though it possible to have a bump the size of an egg. She had heard of such things in her books, but she had always thought it a "literary license" thing. Never had she actually _seen_ such a large bump on the head!

"Shippo, hun…" Kagome said softly. "Try not to go to sleep any time soon. You might have a concussion, we'll have to talk to Kaede about that. And in the mean time…" She looked at her charges, a fierce and fiery glint in her eyes. "Which revenge scheme should we use this time?"

The children all grinned. Now _this_ was something that they did best.

_**G**_

"Inuyasha? Inuyasha?" Miroku called as he pushed open the door. The perverted valet grimaced when he saw the darkness within his master's quarters. "Inuyasha…for the thousandth time turn on some lights!" Miroku snapped. He reached out and groped blindly for the switch to the oil lamps that were _supposed_ to light the room. Once he had he grimaced at what he saw.

There was Inuyasha, lying on the floor with his silver hair spread out all around him and nothing on but that strange baggy old-fashioned red hakama of his. And scattered on the floor nest to him…an empty beer bottled.

"You idiot." Miroku muttered. Inuyasha opened an eye and looked at him, then growled.

"It didn't work." Inuyasha informed Miroku.

"Well I can see that." Miroku scoffed. "If you had managed to finally drink yourself into a stupor you'd be out of it, not talking to me. That's why they call it a stupor."

"Feh." Inuyasha said, sitting up and turning away with his arms crossed. "Who said I was talking to you, pervert?"

"Oh, and then who were you talking to, an imp on my shoulder?"

"…Maybe."

"…Life…what exactly is wrong with you Inuyasha?"

"Did you come here for a reason bouzo, or was it just to annoy me?" Inuyasha demanded.

"Yes, I came here to talk with you about the new girl, Kagome." Miroku said in a determined voice. Inuyasha sighed, he knew that when Miroku put on that voice there would be no deterring him from his mission, whatever that mission may be.

Inuyasha stood up and cleared away the broken glass with a wave of his hand. It was a talent that he had learned from even before his transformation. Beckoning with his right hand, he led Miroku into his study.

It was a dimly lit room; though it was the only room he kept lit at all times. Unlike most of the mansion, Fire was what kept this room lit. Fire of witchery, supernatural Fire, eternal Fire, Fire that flickered, yet never cast a shadow. Fire that burned its life, yet never went out. The Fire that lit Inuyasha's personal rooms was a riddle, like the man himself. And Miroku never let himself forget it.

Inuyasha sat down in his large chair behind the desk, and Miroku sat down in the much smaller chair in front of the desk.

"…Well?" Inuyasha said after a moments pause. "What do you want? 'Cause if this is it you can leave already."

"I told you, I wanted to speak to you about Kagome." Miroku said patiently, he was by far used to Inuyasha's temper.

Inuyasha blinked.

"Kagome?" He quoted. "Awful familiar with the wench after only meeting her a few times."

"What?" Miroku teased, unable to help himself. "Jealous, Inuyasha?"

"WHAT!" Inuyasha screamed, shooting up. "NO WAY!"

Miroku's mouth dropped wide open, he hadn't expected such a reaction! And so Miroku did what any good friend would do when faced with such a lovely reaction.

"Ooo-ooh!" Miroku said in a singsong voice. "You _like_ her, don't you Inuyasha!"

"WHAT!" Inuyasha howled. "_NO! YOU FREAK! **NO!"**_

"Oh! You do! You do!" Miroku cried. "I bet your heart flutters every time you hear her name! I bet you can't think of anything else but her! I bet that it was love at first si-"

Miroku then realized what he was saying.

Miroku glared at Inuyasha suspiciously.

Inuyasha looked very, _very_ guilty.

"Say…Inuyasha…" Miroku said slowly. "When _did_ you see Kagome?"

"Feh." Inuyasha said. "I never said that I saw her, that was all you."

"Really?" Miroku said. "You mean you haven't stared into her blue eyes, her cobalt orbs that sparkle with joy and-"

"Her eyes are brown, you idiot." Inuyasha snapped. "And the only thing they sparkle with is malice and evil."

Miroku grinned triumphantly.

"Ah-ha!" He said, pointing a finger at Inuyasha. "So you _have_ seen her!"

Inuyasha realized then that he had been caught out.

"Keh." He said. "So I watched her a little bit last night, and today in the woods. It was only to make sure she wasn't a spy."

"Inuyasha." Miroku said in a condescending tone. "You should really have more faith in our dearest Sango's taste in friends. I mean _really_. A girl with a gorgeous a body as Sango's, and with just as nice a bosom may I add, well…she can't be all bad!"

There was a moment of utter silence.

Then Sango came running in.

"PERVERT!" She screamed at the top of her lungs. Lifting her broom above her head she brought it down with a vicious THUMP on Miroku's crown and Miroku fell to the floor, twitching randomly. Inuyasha raised an eyebrow, mildly impressed.

"How'd you hear him?" He asked her.

"I didn't. What did he say?" Sango asked.

"Nothing out of the usual, though very perverse. So how did you know if you didn't hear him?"

"I was walking by and my pervert sense started tingling." Sango said with a shrug. "Say, Inuyasha?"

"Mmm?" Inuyasha asked absentmindedly. He was busy watching Miroku twitch like some sort of insect on the floor.

"What do you think of Kagome?" Sango asked, a little bit afraid of his answer. She wanted her friend to stay, yes, but…could she really hope to put her friend in such danger? Was she really that horrible a person.

Inuyasha looked up, surprised. His surprised golden eyes met Sango's wary black ones. There was something in her eyes…something that worried Inuyasha. A spark from a Fire drew his attention away from Sango and he stared at the Fire that had made the noise for a moment before answering.

"She'll do." He said.

Meanwhile, downstairs, the object of their discussion was currently plotting revenge for the pain that Inuyasha had unwittingly inflicted on poor innocent Shippo.

"We have to wait for nightfall." Kagome told Shippo. "Meet me after the girl have gone to sleep, then…we attack."

_**G**_

The quarter moon rose full and cold, sending wave after wave of its stony light out onto the plains and bathing the mansion in an icy relief. It streamed in through the windows like so much ice cold water and after feeling it touch her skin with its pale and silver fingers Kagome couldn't help but shiver and pull her bathrobe just a little bit tighter.

"_Kagome_?" Shippo whispered. "_Are you okay_?"

"_I'm fine…_" Kagome replied. "_Just a little cold._" Shippo silently nodded his understanding.

"_The nights can get pretty cold out here._" He told her.

"_So I've noticed._" Kagome said a little sourly. They tiptoed on in silence for a couple moments but Kagome was drawn up short when Shippo gasped.

"_What is it_?" She asked worriedly. Shippo nodded in front of him.

"_Baka-Yasha's gone out drinking again…_" Shippo whispered, distaste obvious in his voice. "_He's such a spoiled brat._" Kagome's eyebrows raised. In her opinion, children should never have to say that about adults. It was just pure evil, to say that ones provider had "gone out drinking again." Kagome's eyes narrowed. This new employer of hers must have _desired_ to be punished.

She pushed open the door and went inside, an evil grin on her face and a strange purple and white item dangling from her hand.

_**G**_

It was a pure miracle that Inuyasha managed to miss Kagome's trap when he came back to his rooms that night. But he was not so lucky the next morning when he stumbled out of bed and got dressed in his usual red outfit…and then stumbled out the door. Apparently _someone_ (he had no idea who) had booby-trapped the door, because as soon as he stepped out this…purple rosary with…some sort of _teeth_ threaded into it fell onto his head! And then around his neck! Of all the chances in a million that it would actually work that perfectly…well, Inuyasha knew that he should just start cussing his head off then…but he still wasn't quite sure. So he settled for a:

"What the hell?" Inuyasha asked of no one. Then he tried to get this odd rosary off his head…_tried_.

For you see, not even Inuyasha could take the rosary off.

Not even Inuyasha…

Even with all his hanyou strength.

_Well, that's that I suppose. Tell me, how was it? I know that it wasn't as long as the first two chapters, but very few chapters will be as long as the first two chapters. There was plenty of description to put there to make it flow better. Well, you know what to do! Please review all! Till next time._

_Sincerely_

_Pwalefriend_


	5. Truly A Governess

_**So, I come back from my grandmother's and I immediately get online and check my mail. I'm expecting to get the usual oh, about 5-7 reviews…and I see…wait, how many is it again? Let's count. Oh yes, 14 reviews! 14 REVIEWS! Wow you guys, thank you soooo much!**_

_**So, an incredibly heartfelt and warming acknowledgement and recognition to the following outstanding persons…**_

_**kagome10678 **_

_**Miko no Kaze**_

_**alchemistgrl09 **_

_**Aria-wolfstar**_

_**Al**_

_**elena**_

_**Remenescent**_

_**Demon-dreamgirl **_

_**Hearii-sama**_

_**Ladeh Hitomi**_

_**elvira-inu-girl **_

_**&**_

_**sweetrosie**_

_**I can not thank you all enough.**_

_**The Stamp Of Gold**_

_**Lessons In Laughing And Shouting**_

_By Pwalefriend_

Kagome woke up once again to the sunlight playing gently on her face and the heavy warmth of the fat cat, called Buyo, on her stomach. But this time something was different.

"Kagome…Kagome…" Kagome heard a voice very much like Sango's murmur in her ear. "…Kagome, wake up…" This time Sango's urgings were accompanied by a couple pokes in the shoulder with a long finger. Kagome groaned.

"Do I hafta?" She asked. Sango chuckled.

"Unless you want something dreadful to happen, yes." Sango said. Kagome cracked open her eye.

"What do you mean?" Kagome asked.

It had been a week since Kagome had exacted her revenge on Mr. Takahashi and there had been nothing exciting ever since. Sure, that morning there had been lots of load noises and bangs and crashes and what sounded like breaking bottles and Miroku fighting with another man, but besides that nothing.

"It's time for _your_ lessons." Sango said in a rather mysterious voice. She didn't mean to be so strange about this, but it was so much fun to not make sense and to act like you knew more then you actually did. She did it all the time. But it was a habit she had picked up from Miroku, and as such Kagome didn't know about it. Sango had considered a moment whether it was fair to her friend, but then had banished her misgivings. It was simply too much fun to resist.

Of course, Kagome knew none of this. Kagome propped herself up on her elbow, being careful not to knock Buyo to the floor, and stared at Sango in exasperation.

"I feel so enlightened." Kagome said wryly. "I feel like the world has been explained to me." She shook her head at Sango. "Try for a little more explanation please. Some description would be nice." Sango smiled at her friend's sarcasm. Kagome never had been a morning person.

"It's not my place to explain." Sango said. "But Inuyasha will…erm…well, you'll see." Kagome snapped awake instantly.

"I finally get to meet the infamous Inuyasha Takahashi?" She asked incredulously. Kagome leaned up and rested on her elbow to get a better view of Sango's face. Sango winced.

"Well, not quite." She said. Sango noticed the stormy look on Kagome's face and hastened to explain. "He's very reclusive, you know." She said. "He's a little shy around people he doesn't know very well. So the pair of you will _talk,_ but I'm afraid that you can't actually _see _him."

"Well that's just stupid." Kagome snapped. "It's completely ridiculous. I see no reason why I cannot know the face of my employer." But despite her apparent disdain Kagome rose and got dressed quickly.

"This way." Sango said, leading Kagome down the hall and to the Grand Staircase. Up they went, up two floors. Then they walked down a wing and came to a stop at two massive double oak doors. Sango pushed them open and led Kagome into a dark room. They walked through this one and walked into a warm room, with a low fire in the corner and the morning sunlight streaming into the room from the windows. The furniture was leather and hard dark wood. It looked somewhat like a billiard room. Kagome looked around and glared at the furniture. She hated leather. It was dead animal skin…and it smelled funny.

"It's not real Kagome, don't worry." Sango said with a little smile, noticing the way Kagome was glaring at the big loafer. "Take a seat. The children are spending the day with Kohaku, I'll come back with your breakfast soon." And with that Sango disappeared, leaving Kagome alone in a strange place and awaiting the arrival of someone who, as far as Kagome could tell, was not to be arriving at all.

Suddenly, to the side of her, a piece of the wall slid back to reveal a flowery cork panel. Kagome looked at it, amazed. It looked like a piece of lace curtain made from the lightest wood. She had heard tell of such things, but had only heard of them to be in Christian churches, not private homes. Kagome stepped forward to examine it more. Movement from behind the cork caught her eye. It was too dark to tell, but what that a person back there?

"What do you think you're doing, wench?" Snapped a haughty and arrogant male voice from the other side of the panel. Kagome drew back in shock.

"…Excuse me?" She stammered. Then she felt anger begin to well up in her chest. "_What_ did you just call me?"

"Wench!" Snapped the man. "Or are you a blind bitch as well as stupid?"

He didn't see it coming.

Without a second thought Kagome's hand went through the cork and straight into his eye. The man shot backwards with a howl of fury and minor discomfort. After his shouts of outrage had died down, Kagome began to speak in a calm voice. Though inside she was secretly wondering if it was at all possible that no one had heard that.

"Now, Mr. Takahashi…you _are_ Mr. Takahashi are you not?" Kagome waited for a reply.

Inuyasha blinked. That scary woman had walloped him in the eye and was now talking as if she was about to ask him what he thought of the weather they had been having lately. _'What is _wrong_ with her?'_ He wondered silently. He was beginning to believe that he had hired another psycho. He really did_ not_ want to have a repeat of last time.

Inuyasha then realized that Miss Higurashi was still waiting for a reply.

"Keh." He said, as way of a reply. Kagome took that as an affirmative.

"You are my employer," she went on to say. "A rich employer at that. And as such there is a level of aristocracy that you must attain. Why? Because that is the norm, and norms, as long as they are reasonable, should most often be followed. And in your case that would be an improvement."

"Feh." Inuyasha said sulkily. Who did this woman think she was, bossing him around like that? "Why should I?"

"Because, even out here, you are a part of society. And as this is the case you must behave as such."

"What if I don't want to?"

Kagome smiled a little kindly. Was Mr. Takahashi twelve years old? He certainly acted like it.

"My dear Mr. Takahashi," Kagome said. "If one didn't have to do something just because one did not wish to, this would be a very happy world indeed." Kagome stopped and paused a moment. "Or…a very savage one." Then she shook her head. "Anyway, that is not what I wish to speak to you about."

Now that she finally had his attention, she was going to make him _pay_ attention.

"Eh?" Inuyasha was getting very confused. Hadn't she just attacked him? What had he said again? He couldn't remember…his throbbing eye did though.

"We have not yet had the opportunity to discuss my terms. I require every Sunday off I'm afraid. And today is Sunday. Toodle-loo."

And with that…Kagome left.

Inuyasha didn't move for the next half an hour. When he did finally get up, he had this to say.

"Wait…what was that last bit?"

_I know…short. But I wasn't even planning to update until this weekend. Besides, I think that their first meeting justifies it. _

_You know what to do…._

_Why are you not doing it?_

_Yes you,_

_Yes you_

_The one who never reviews_

_Why do you not review? _

_I know you're there…_

_And if you don't review…_

_My candy monsters will come to bribe you…_

_And if you still don't review…_

_My candy monsters will consume you…_

_And if you still won't review…_

_Then you have no heart in its home _

_For how can you ignore my little poem? _

_Obey the poem!_

_Till next time!_

_Sincerely_

_Pwalefriend_

_P.S. Megatokyo rocks. It just rocks. It's so random…I love it!_


	6. A Day Off

_**A special thanks to…**_

_**Remenescent: I love your hair.**_

_**elvira-inu-gurl**_

_**Ladeh Hitomi**_

_**alchemistgrl09**_

_**Avelyn Lauren**_

_**Miko no Kaze**_

_**Al: I'm in pain and it is all your fault.**_

_**Demon-dreamgirl**_

_**MeiunTenshi**_

_**Hearii-sama**_

_**Aria-wolfstar**_

_**sweetrosie**_

_**EBF: I know where you sleep…and if you ever call me that again sister dearest, you will find something unpleasantly slimy on your pillow. Don't think I won't do it. I also know where mom keeps the liver. **_

_**You guys rock.**_

_**Except Blobby. She called me that cursed name. And asked about Jenny. That upset me. Darn you Blobby! Darn you!**_

_Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters. Kizukuri Town in no way or stretch resembles the real Kizukuri Town as far as my knowledge goes, save one thing. A lovely Horse Market. But I don't think this is enough to go by. Also, I have never in my life been on a train, though I'd like to. So I'm making up the train rides as I go along. The reason for the name is that I wanted to use something real and, to fit the theme and everyone else's name, I decided to make it Japanese. On the whole, too many fanfic writers use English names. Myself included. It's a habit I'm trying to break. _

_**IMPORTANT NOTICE!**_

**_The reason that this chapter, and probably the next couple chapters, are so late is because there is something BIG going around my school! Some really, REALLY bad flu! My friend has influenza, half the teachers are sick, on the first day it struck 120 kids went home, the kid's who aren't sick are threatening to wear gas masks and I could probably count the number of kids who aren't sick on one hand…this is my entire school! And a girl was sent to the hospital she had such a bad case. _**

_**Ever heard of Amherst MASS? We're in the news a lot…**_

…

…_**for being politically correct. **_

_**Well, anyone who got pissed at Amherstians for that whole mess with the West Side Story (apparently they heard about that way down in South America) then go ahead, laugh, we're suffering flu-ic plague. That's what we're calling this thing at school, the Plague. **_

_**The Stamp Of Gold**_

_**A Day Off**_

_By Pwalefriend_

Kagome was wearing a smart skirt and blouse and her hair was tied back with a green ribbon. She was sitting calmly at the train depot, waiting for the next train to come. Taking a glance over at a bulletin board off at the edge of the station Kagome figured that the train was due to arrive in a couple of minutes.

"Eh?" Kagome jumped at the male voice. "Miss Kagome?" Kagome whirled around to see, standing behind her, none other then Koga.

"Koga?" She said, standing up and offering him her seat as protocol demanded. He took it. "Are you going out today as well?" She asked with a frown. Protocol also demanded that he not take her seat and instead either sit beside her or stand. Clearly this man was not raised with manners.

"No." Koga shook his head with a sigh. "I'm off on business. Apparently Kanna's decided that one of the mares is lonely and has sent me off to get a new horse for the barn. Where that woman get this nonsense I just don't know…but she's Mistress Kagura's beloved little sister in-law so we all have to cater to her every whim."

"Mistress Kagura?" Kagome asked.

"Rin's adoptive mother." Koga explained. "Wedded to Master Sesshomaru, Inuyasha's half-brother."

"Where are Master Sesshomaru and Mistress Kagura?" Kagome asked, seeing her opportunity to find out more.

"On a world tour." Koga said, shaking his head. "Just showed up one day, dumped Rin on us and then hit the road, no warning and no way to contact them. No way to know when they'll be back either. Personally, I don't think they're coming back. But Kanna and Rin sure seem to think that they are." Koga frowned off into the distance and then smirked, standing. "Here comes the train." He told Kagome.

Kagome looked down the track as well and saw, sure enough, that the train was coming down the tracks, heading straight for them. And with it, came the dust clouds. Hastily Kagome pulled a handkerchief out of her sleeve and put it over her mouth and her eyes as Koga did the same with his own kerchief. The dust hit them like a wall and Kagome couldn't help but spare a mourning thought about her now dust-covered outfit.

When they got on the train Kagome and Koga split up, Kagome heading one way down the train and Koga heading the other. Of course Koga wasn't aware of this and Kagome had to stifle giggles as she watched him walk down the train talking to himself and thinking that he was talking to her. Some of the other passengers were eyeing him oddly. Kagome smiled triumphantly. Served him right too. Talking about Rin's beloved parents that way. Kagome may not have known the little girl very long but Rin quite often told Kagome stories about her parents and it was quite obvious that they were a loving family. And Kagome had only met Kanna once but the Horse Mistress didn't seem like the kind of person who would hold with any delusions. And both of the girls had seemed like decent people who could be trusted, unlike Koga.

Kagome gave one final smirk in the wolf youkai's direction before entering a compartment to her left.

_**G**_

A few hours later the train pulled into the station at town.

"Kizukuri Town…final stop! All passengers off!" Cried a young pimply conductor **:P Had to do it mate. Had to do it.** "Come on, you lazy louts. Off!"

If the boy hadn't been so rude Kagome would have felt sorry for him, working on a second rate train company when he should have been in school.

"What's the matter with you? Got the pox! Stand up old man and get your reeking ass of the train already."

But he was just too rude and the last one hadn't even made _sense_.

_**G**_

When Kagome got off the train she immediately called over a carriage boy and paid him for his services for the entire day. Well, she paid him half.

"You'll get the rest at the end of the day." She told him. The boy looked at her gratefully, this was more then he usually made in a week, and he took her arm and led her gracefully to the carriage. Kagome giggled a little, it was nice to be treated like a lady.

The first stop was to the news dealers, where Kagome proceeded to buy some fine (though cheap) stationary and a pen as well as some new art supplies for the children. She went to the cashier and, ignoring the odd looks she was receiving from the other clients, dipped into the wages that Miroku had given her just yesterday.

"Thank you ma'am." Said the chashier when Kagome had paid. Kagome nodded and then left the store, hard put not to glance back behind her.

"Well…that was odd…" She said to the carriage boy. He shrugged.

"Well…" he told her. "We haven't had anyone as finely dressed as you since the last time Miss. Sango came into town with Mr. Takahashi." Said the boy. Kagome glanced at him sharply. "And that was several years ago. Nowadays it's just that Koga fellow who comes in from the ranch, and nobody likes him much mum." The boy smirked knowingly at her and sidled a little. "'Cept some of the girls…but they ain't the nice ones who a fine upstanding lady like yourself should be worrying about. I'm sorry to offend you, mum. It's just, well…this is that small of a place. Please excusse me."

Kagome blushed. It sure was nice to meet a young man who knew how to have some manners even though people of his class weren't supposed to have any. The boy took her reaction the wrong way.

"Oh!" He cried, perturbed. "I really am sorry to have offended you! I really am! Me own mother always did tell me that I didn't know when to stop talking. I'm truly sorry!" He paused a moment, looked at his feet and bit his lip. The perfect picture of an apologetic youth. Then he looked up with nervous eyes. "…where to next mum?" He asked.

"The green." She said, and got into the carriage. When she felt them begin to move she finally allowed her self to laugh. The boy was just so funny! He would probably be shocked solid if he ever found out where she worked…or some of the things she had heard. But how was the poor thing to know that she wasn't scandalized by the mere mention of a loose woman? She supposed that she shouldn't tease him about it later. Kagome sighed. Oh well…

At the green Kagome found a bench by a water fountain, took out a piece of stationary and the pen, and proceeded to write a letter to her family back home.

_My dear family…_

_I am writing you from the green in Kizukuri Town. I'm so sorry that I have not written before this, but it's been very busy. _

_I am happily settled in my new position. Sango and I have reacquainted and I was pleasantly surprised to find Kohaku here as well. I am looking after three children, two girls and a boy. The girls are called Rin and Satsuki and the boy Shippo. They are all perfect dears, especially little Shippo. But they are about as mischievous as they come! Satsuki and Shippo are orphans that Mr. Takahashi has taken in and Rin is Mr. Takahashi's neice. Her parents are on a world tour, as far as I can tell, and Mr. Takahashi is no help. But she does seem close with her aunt, Kanna, who works in the stables. _

_The valet, Miroku, is…an interesting fellow. He seems particularly attracted to Sango, though he is quite…eloquent about his appreciation for the female body. He's in the infirmary a lot of the time. But besides this character flaw he is a perfect gentleman and has proven to be a wonderfully clever friend. _

_I'm afraid that I can't say the same for the rancher, Koga, who-_

And so the letter went on. Kagome gave a description of everyone at the ranch, except for Inuyasha Takahashi himself, who she tactfully avoided mentioning. She knew that her mother would catch that, but Kagome figured that by the time Mrs. Higurashi got the letter and replied to it Kagome would have figured out something to tell her.

The next stop was the post office, where Kagome mailed the letter and almost all her wages, keeping a little less then a third for herself.

After mailing the letter she got the boy to take her exploring. They had lunch at a small little restaurant and at the end of the day Kagome asked if they had time to go to the horse market before her train left. The boy shrugged and that's where they went.

Unfortunately, when they got there, the boy was called off by one of his peers, leaving Kagome to fend for herself.

And who should she meet as soon as she was inside the market?

Why…Koga, naturally.

Koga seemed to be in a particularly foul mood.

"Not a single one!" He told her angrily. "Not a single nag in this whole horse infested junk yard!" Several of the nearby horse merchants sent him nasty dirty looks. "I'm outta here!"

"Wait, Koga!" Kagome called after him, he turned around. "Can I give it a try?" She asked, holding out her hand for the money. Koga laughed.

"Sure girly." He said, handing it over. "Knock yourself out. I'll see you back at the train." And with that he disappeared into the crowd. Kagome stuck her tongue out in the general direction of his retreat.

"Um…excuse me, miss?" Said a horse merchant, hesitantly tapping her on the shoulder. Kagome looked at him questioningly. He gulped a little. "I…um…I know the mare that you want a friend for, I sold her to Miss Kanna a year ago you see…um…I have the one you want, right this way ma'am."

Kagome looked the merchant up and down a couple times and then smiled at him happily, staring him right square in the eyes.

"Show me." She commanded in her best academic voice. The merchant smiled slightly back, relieved.

He brought her to a young gelding. His coat was black and gray, his mane was grey. He wasn't especially tall or strong, he was mild mannered, nothing special.

"This is the one." The merchant said. The gelding didn't even look up at their voices, he merely continued to stare at the wood of a nearby stake. He looked like he was dying of a broken heart. "If it got any worse I was going to drive him over to the ranch myself. They're best friends, never were apart till a year ago. This fellow never was the same afterwards. Used to be a right fine horse, he was." The merchant shook his head at the tragedy of it all.

Twenty minutes later Kagome was riding the gelding to the train station, the carriage boy was paid off and her small parcels were tied to the side of the horse. Right before Kagome got to the station a carriage veered in front of her and the gelding, startled out of his misery, reared and roared an equine roar. Kagome uttered a soft scream and held on tight, her eyes shut.

"What's going on!" Snapped a feminine voice from inside the carriage. A graceful woman with long black hair stuck her head out the window and saw the mess. She immediately jumped out and grabbed the reins of Kagome's gelding. She jerked the horse's head down until the horse and the woman were looking each other square in the eyes.

"You will never do that again." She told the gelding quite clearly. Kagome stared down at the woman in alarm. Was she quite mad? "Any questions?" She asked the gelding. The gelding snorted and shook his head. The woman nodded and let go, eyeing the gelding coolly. Then she looked up at Kagome. "Are you hurt?" She asked.

"No miss." Kagome said. "I thank you for your concern." The woman nodded and then returned to her carriage.

"Onward!" She cried. The coachman snapped the reins and then the carriage went veering at a breakneck speed down the road.

"…definitely mad." Kagome said, staring after the carriage. The gelding snorted again as if in agreement.

_**G**_

Due to the adventure with the woman and her carriage Kagome almost missed her train, but she made it just in time and even managed to be allowed to stay with the horse in the back compartment. She had no doubts that if Koga found out that she had managed to find the right horse he'd get…temperamental.

When the train stopped Kagome rode the horse out to the ranch. She was surprised and relieved to see no sign of Koga anywhere. She handed over the gelding to Kanna, who was extremely relieved in her own quiet way, and then Kagome, finally realizing how late it was, stumbled off to bed without another word to anyone and completely forgetting about dinner.

But in a dark room high up in the mansion two golden eyes gleamed, silently plotting their revenge…

…

…

…they'd been at it all day and still had come up with nothing.

…

…

…but they'd figure something out!

And the golden eyes continued to gleam throughout the night as their bearer grew more and more frustrated. Revenge really was a bitch, not because it back fired, but because he just couldn't think of anything!

…

…

…

…oh for the love of-! He was going to bed.

_Yay! So, how'd you all like this one? Please remember to review! Please remember to review! Can any of you guess who that woman was, and where Koga is? _


	7. When Last We Left Our Heroes

_**A special thanks to…**_

_**ffgirlmoonie**_

_**Remenescent**_

_**Hearii-sama**_

_**Ladeh Hitomi**_

_**sweetrosie**_

_**Demon-dreamgirl**_

_**Miko no Kaze**_

_**priestessmykala**_

_**Avelyn Lauren**_

_**elvira-inu-gurl **_

_**MeiunTenshi**_

_**A certain sister who shall not be named here. ()**_

**_Al: Well, of course you know. Jenny's doing…erm…well let's just say that she recently learned about the wonders of hacking. She's been having a lot of fun with that…_**

_**alchemistgrl09**_

_**Congratulations to Miko no Kaze, priestessmykala, MeiunTenshi and Ladeh Hitomi for getting the odd lady's identity right on the first try. (Remember, we've already got Kaede accounted for) **_

_Disclaimer:_

_Pwale: What are you doing back here?_

_Mr. X just smirks and cracks his knuckles._

_-Pwale turns to the two lawyers in the room- _

_Why is he here?_

_The lawyers just smirk._

"_Well," ome of the lawyers says. "Since you don't have a lawyer to represent you, and everyone is too afraid to go up against us, we can actually do whatever we want to you…until you tell us what we want to hear that is."_

_Pwale: Where? Guantanamo Bay? _

_Lawyer #1: For the thousandth time, there is no torture here…I mean there…_

_Pwale: Yeah. That's what they **want** you to think. Literally. _

_Lawyer #2: That's not the point! The point is that we can get away with anything!_

_Pwale: You can not! I represent **myself**! And I will not be broken!_

_Lawyer #1 & #2:…Did you just sing?_

_Pwale: Oh, I don't own Inu! But guess what? This is a song so I can pretend that I do!_

_Al:…This disclaimer is too silly. Just too silly. It makes no sense, even for Pwale._

_Lia: This is sad._

_On with the story!_

_**The Stamp Of Gold**_

_**When Last We Left Our Heroes…**_

It was cleaning day. That's what Mondays are for. Cleaning. Cleaning in preperation for the new week.

Now, most people do their cleaning on Sunday or Saturday. But Inuyasha was on firm in his belief that weekends were a time to sleep till dusk and if you woke him up before then may the Gods see fit to take you swiftly because quick death would be the only thing that you could hope for. And cleaning was one of the many things that woke Inuyasha up.

So, they did it on Monday.

Early on in the day Kagome had gotten into a discussion with the children about communities and ones role as a part of one.

"But if you have maids then it's _their_ job to do work!" Satsuki was arguing, and Rin and Shippo were both agreeing with her. "Why should _we_ do _their_ work? We _pay_ them to do it! They should be _thankful_!"

Kagome sighed. How does one explain to rich children how poor people feel?

Then an idea hit her.

"Well," she said. "You have a point." Behind her back Kagome crossed her fingers and hoped that the children would never figure out that she was lying to them, as small children have a tendency to do. "But…as the rich…well…" Suddenly in an amazing flash her lessons on the Labor vs. Management Negotiations returned, and with them the arguments that the old rich men had actually managed to use in a way that almost made sense if you excelled in Spin. "As upstanding and upper class members of this society," Kagome said. The children were charmed by the big pretty words and all three of them blushed. "Then it is your responsibility to uphold the arts so that the lower class can be…enlightened by your beauty."

Now, Rin didn't know what Kagome had just said. But she had heard the word 'responsibility' and her Papa had always told her that a responsibility was an important thing. So, to be a good 'responsibility', whatever that actually meant, Rin would do what Kagome wanted. Rin wanted to make her Papa proud.

Now, Satsuki didn't know what Kagome had just said. But she had heard the word 'beauty.' And her brother, when they had lived on the streets, had always told her to hide her inner beauty and find a place where she could let it show. When Satsuki had come to the _Fuedal Era_ she had secretly hoped that this was the place where she could let her inner beauty show…but before now the opportunity had never presented itself. But now it had! So, to show her good 'beauty' Satsuki would do what Kagome wanted. Satsuki wanted to make her brother proud.

Now, Shippo didn't know what Kagome had said. But he had heard the word 'arts'. Shippo _loved_ to draw. His secretest most darkest secret of all was that he was going to be a big important artist when he grew up. But Inuyasha had always said that Shippo wasn't good enough. But now…well, to 'uphold the arts', whatever that actually meant, Shippo was going to do what Kagome wanted. Shippo wanted to prove Inuyasha wrong.

See, that's the difference between little boys and little girls.

"Yay!" All three children shouted. Kagome jerked back, surprised by their sudden excitement. "What do we do?" They asked. "When do we start?"

"Well," Kagome said, thinking on her feet. "Give me a moment."

The children got quiet. They knew that "Give me a moment" was what adults said when they needed to think about something.

Kagome looked around the bright schoolroom where she and the children spent their lessons. It was attached to the nursery and on the other side there was a bedroom for Kagome to sleep in if the need ever arose.

Some sort of idiot had furnished to room itself. Lacey and ladylike and delicate seemed to be the theme. There was so much white and pink that Kagome hadn't been able to open her eyes for five minutes after entering the room that first time for fear of being blinded by the sickening colors. And it wasn't even a normal shade of pink! It was that hideous salmon _orange_ shade of pink that you find in rubber. Nothing was fit for a place where children were to play.

But it did get nice light. That was it's one saving grace.

Kagome looked at the white walls of the room and at long last she knew how she was going to do this.

"Well," she said. The children all sat up straight on the pink couch that they were sitting on. "Remember that white wall downstairs in the Entrance Hall?" She asked. The children all nodded. "Let's paint a mural on it!" She suggested.

"Yeah!" The children all exclaimed, very excited about the idea. Then they paused to think of it for a moment.

"Wait…" Shippo said. "What's a mural?"

"A mural is a HUGE painting on a wall." Kagome explained, throwing her arms out wide so that the children would understand just how big she meant. "It's a lot of work, but it's our responsibility. Think you're up to the challenge?"

The children nodded fervently to show that they were indeed up to such a challenge. Kagome smiled.

"Then let us be off! Let us leave this horrid place of horrid pink!" She cried, and she led her three charges down to the Entrance Hall.

In the annoyingly dark room a certain someone smirked. _Finally _he had the perfect revenge.

Now…how to get away with it…wait…what could she do to him?

Inuyasha shrugged. He still needed a way to get away with his plot.

He thought…and he thought…and he thought…finally Inuyasha groaned and broke a vase that was next to him. Revenge was harder then he thought! Maybe it was all stupid and elebortate. So far the only thing that he could figure out about the necklace was the fact that he couldn't get it off.

Inuyasha snorted. Some revenge _that_ was. It would have been worse if the rosary had been feminine. But no, a masculine rosary was no revenge. It was a nuisance in retaliation for building the brats character. And that was no excuse for revenge!

Embarrassment, on the other hand, and intelligence, now those were things to get revenge for!

"…um…what?" Miroku asked. Inuyasha blinked…and realized that he had just said everything aloud. He looked over at Miroku who was shaking his head and staring at Inuyasha with a withering glance.

"What do you want?" Inuyasha barked. Miroku sighed.

"Remind me why I didn't quit years ago?" Miroku asked Inuyasha. Inuyasha smirked.

"Well, my friend…" Inuyasha said, standing up and clapping Miroku on the back. "Three factors come to mind. One: The size of your wage. Two: The fact that a certain someone would kill you if you left these grounds. Three: Sango would kill you if you even thought about quitting."

Miroku glared up at the smirking Inuyasha for a moment.

"Whatever you're planning to do to Kagome, don't." Miroku said flatly. Inuyasha's face fell.

"But-"

"No."

"I just-"

"No!"

"Want to-"

"_No!_"

"But I-"

"**_No!_**"

"And she-"

"Do it and I'll tell Sango where you put Hiraikotsu!"

Inuyasha froze. He looked at Miroku with an expression of perfect horror.

"You _wouldn't_!"

"I would Inuyasha, don't make me!" Miroku sighed and rubbed his temples. "I just don't understand this. Ever since that girl arrived it's been confusion after confusion." He glared up at Inuyasha. "You need to get on with it! This is like a bad book where the author doesn't know how to introduce the plot!"

"Well I don't see you coming up with any ideas." Snapped Inuyasha in reply. "How should I do it? Hi Kagome Higurashi! I'm Inuyasha, your employer! Yes, I know, I know. Don't worry. Many people are put off by the dog ears! Anyway down to business! I really hired you so that I can use you as bait for an evil that is centuries old and to get revenge on my ex who continues to make my life a living hell…in the most literal sense of the term."

Miroku and Inuyasha looked at each other in a monotone silence for a moment. It was Miroku who broke it.

"Do you have a thesaurus, I'm sure there's another word for 'bait'."

"I already looked."

"Well…let's try again."

_**G**_

The first thing that Kagome and the children had done was wash the floor of the Entrance Hall. Kagome had explained to the children that they needed to have a clean area before they could begin the mural.

Kagome was never going to let Shippo touch a mop again.

Next they had to dry the floors, so that they could lay down a large white sheet that Sango had found them.

Satsuki had learned about the startling amount of pain that wet rags can inflict when you roll them up tightly and use them as a whip.

And we're not even going to _think_ about Rin's adventure with the soap suds.

All in all the servants were all sitting on the steps, eating various snacks and watching the new governess try and calm down the children. It was even better then the time Sango and Kagura had ganged up on Sesshomaru and had forced him to wear a dress. And that was saying a lot!

Finally it was all clean…and Kagome realized that they didn't have paint.

With a feral grin she whirled around on the servants who were sitting on the steps.

"Split yourselves into two groups!" She commanded without a seconds hesitation. "If you're sitting on the left side of the stairs then go find paint for the walls. If you're sitting on the right side of the steps go find brushes for everyone!"

All the servants looked at each other and Kagome's glare got hotter as she bore down on them.

"What?" She demanded. "It's not like you've got anything better to do!"

Well, the servants had spent so much time in the household of Inuyasha Takahashi that they knew a fiery temper that's best left alone when they saw one. You couldn't have _paid_ them to disobey Kagome at that moment. She was even scarier then the older Master Takahashi himself!

And it was with that evil glare that Kagome won the respect and loyalty of the household servants. After all, someone who can best one of Sesshomaru's glare is worth that and much more!

And with that thought in mind it didn't take long for the servants to complete the missions that Kagome had given them.

When the group who had been sitting on the left side of the Grand Stair returned with a colorful array of paints and the group that had been sitting on the right side of the Grand Stair returned with a large assortment of brushes of all different sizes they all found Kanna, Kaede, Kagome, Sango and the children setting out a picnic in the middle of the hall. There was a wonderful lunch for everyone (except Inuyasha and Miroku who were sill looking of ways to rephrase Inuyasha's confession) and during the picnic Kagome gave the children a big piece of white paper and a box of crayons.

"Draw a picture, all of you together." She told them. "Draw a picture of something meaningful to you all. It'll be what we paint a mural of."

After lunch was over the children presented their picture. Satsuki and Shippo held it up while Rin explained the picture and pointed out several different aspects with a wooden spoon that Kaede had given her. The servants and Kagome all sat on the steps, listening intently and stifling their giggles at how cute and earnest the young ones were.

"See," Rin said sternly, looking around to make sure that everyone was listening to her. "These are the horsies," Rin pointed to a big brown splotch. "And they're running through the forest." Rin pointed to brown lines with green circles on top of them. "And here's the well and here's Kagome climbing out of it. Then Uncle Inuyasha is waiting for her," Rin points to a red and silver splotch. Kagome blinked, confused, why would Mr. Takahashi be waiting for her? No one else was confused though.

"Awww!" They all said.

Kagome remembered something then.

_Flashback_

"_Well, I'm glad that I can call you Satsuki, Satsuki." Kagome said. "My name is Kagome, and I'm here to be your-"_

_But Shippo interrupted her. _

"_Our new mommy!" He asked, excited. Kagome's mouth snapped closed with an audible click. She opened and shut her mouth several times before she was able to trust herself to answer._

"_Not quite." She said. Rin stuck her tongue out at Satsuki. "But I am here to be your governess, and depending on the governess, that could be a lot like a…an auntie." Kagome could not quite bring herself to say mommy. _

"_So then you're married to Uncle Inuyasha?" Rin asked. Kagome nearly fainted on the spot._

"_Is he your uncle?" She asked weakly. Rin nodded severely. _

"_He's not very nice though." She said. "He's always yelling at Shippo when Shippo doesn't do nothing but bite Uncle Inuyasha's ears."_

_End Flashback_

They didn't still think that she was at all involved with Mr. Takahashi on anything but a business level, did they? But then again…they were children. Kagome could probably kill Mr. Takahashi in front of them and they still would believe that she was madly in love with their mysterious benefactor.

"And here's Missy Sango and Miroku." Said Rin, pointing to a red-faced curvy figure that could only be Sango. She was holding aloft a massive boomerang that Kagome recognized immediately and lying on the ground below her was a bloody heap that could only be Miroku. Everyone chuckled.

"Here's Kohaku and Auntie Kanna," Rin pointed to two figures that were standing behind the horses, one was pure white and the other black and blue.

Kagome froze.

How did they know?

Was it possible…

But now was not the time to think of such things. Kagome returned to the present and focused on Rin, who was still talking.

"-Papa and Mommy." Rin said, now pointing to two very…_flowery_ figures.

"_I'll do them_…" Kagome heard a whisper from behind her. She recognized the voice as one of the resident artists. Apparently she had been the one who had redone all of the flower paintings in the main rooms, turning them from girly monstrosities to works of art.

"_Better you then me._" Another voice whispered. "_Make sure you get that health coverage before they get back though_…"

Kagome wasn't even going to ask.

"And this," Rin said loudly, now pointing to a big pink ball in the middle of the paper. "Is the Shikon no Tama!"

Sango fell off the top of the stairs where she had been standing, tumbling down over all the people, many of whom were staring in shock at Rin.

When Sango had landed on the floor she stared up at Rin.

"Sango!" Kagome shouted, rushing to her friend's side. "What is wrong with you?"

"Nothing…" Sango said. "Nothing at all. I just…thought she said something else." Sango shook her head. "Okay…I've been spending too much time around Miroku."

Kagome drew back, watching Sango get up with an apprehensive look.

"I don't want to know, do I?" Kagome asked. Sango shook her head.

"No you do not." Sango confirmed.

"_Anyway_…" Shippo shouted loudly, drawing the attention back to the mural project. "Can we start painting now?"

Kagome looked around at all the waiting servants. Then she looked down at the three children who were all holding big brushes and were wearing the sunniest grins. Kagome smiled.

"Let the painting begin!" She said.

_**G**_

The mural wasn't finished until late that night, after Kagome had put the children to bed. But, once it was finished, everyone took a step back to examine their masterpiece.

Kagome looked at it in wonder.

A herd of multicolored horses were running through a forest. Their coats gleamed with colors she had never seen before and their eyes danced with merriment. She could almost hear the sound of hooves and fast paced breath. The trees stood tall a proud, she could almost smell them growing. Nearby a village stood, and each servant had painted themselves as a villager. Their faces were all made of purples and reds and greens and yellows. In front of them all Kaede sat quietly, Shippo, Rin and Satsuki in her lap. In the forest was the well, set apart from the horses. She was climbing out of it, and a figure wearing traditional red clothing and with long silver hair was standing there waiting for her. But Kagome could not see his face. The same went for the other two figures that were sitting next to each other on a hill. They were so amazingly beautiful and graceful all the same though. And then there was Kagome's favorite part of the mural, an angry Sango standing over a cowering Miroku with a massive boomerang in her hand.

"Well." Kagome said, clapping her hands together. "I think that this is a job well done." All around her people nodded and smiled in happy agreement. "And I, for one, am going to bed now." And with that she and everyone else laughed and walked off to bed.

_**G**_

It was nearly three o'clock in the morning. Inuyasha and Miroku had read the whole night through. When Miroku had realized that daylight soon would be dawning he and Inuyasha had looked in one last book and then left. Inuyasha was now taking one last stroll through his home to make sure that nothing was wrong. Even though sleep was calling to him like a melody so entrancing.

And since Inuyasha was all alone he began to sing softly to himself.

"It's three o'clock in the morning, we've danced the whole night through." He sang softly. "And daylight soon will be dawning, just one more dance with you." He stepped into the Entry Hall, one of the last places still lit by moonlight. "That melody so entrancing, seems to be made for us two. I could just keep right on dancing forever dear with-WHAT THE FCK!"

Now, in defense of Inuyasha's tongue it's not every day that you walk through your house and look up to find the face of your hated half-brother painted on the wall.

_Well, how'd it go? I know that you must all be getting impatient for Inuyasha and Kagome to meet, but the circumstances have to be perfect. I also thought that this chapter was a little weak in the middle. What did you think? Remember to review! Pretty, pretty please!_

_Sincerely_

_Pwalefriend_


	8. Come Together I

_**A special thanks to…**_

_**alchemistgrl09**_

_**Al**_

_**Miko no Kaze**_

_**MeiunTenshi**_

_**Hearii-sama**_

_**Remenescent**_

_**EBF**_

_**total-manga-freak**_

_**elena**_

_**ffgirlmoonie**_

_**Avelyn Lauren**_

_**Demon-dreamgirl**_

_**sweetrosie**_

_Disclaimer:_

_Pwale and Mr. X are sitting at a table in a small café in Wales, examining each other._

_Mr. X: …I have asked you here for a very serious reason._

_Pwale: I've told you, it's against my morals to date guys more then ten years older than me. _

_Mr. X: Where the hell did you get that idea!_

_Pwale: This isn't a date?_

_Mr. X: HELL NO!_

_Pwale: Wahhh! You hate me!_

_Mr. X: What!...that's not what I said…_

_Pwale: My father's alive?_

_Mr. X: …you are clinically insane. _

_Inuyasha: May I take your order?_

_Mr. X: I asked you here because of this! #gestures wildly at Inuyasha.# You don't own them!_

_Pwale: I never said I did._

_Mr. X: Then why are they here!_

_Pwale: Blackmail works…and so do marriage certificates._

_Mr. X:…I think I'm going to sue you…_

_Pwale: Many have tried. None have succeeded. _

_**The Stamp Of Gold**_

_**Convening**_

_A story by Pwalefriend_

_**G**_

As he sat behind his desk Inuyasha Takahashi reviewed his notes and tried to convince himself that since it was not Sunday his newest employee would not be able to outwit him…again. He didn't even know why she _had_ outwitted him! It had been one of the most random experiences of his life!

Inuyasha Takahashi, for all of his pretenses, did not know the new governess very well. He may have stalked her a little when she had first arrived (for security reasons only) but he, apparently, hadn't listened to a word she had said. Because, as anyone who knows Kagome Higurashi can tell you, she is the type of person who would paint a tree purple just to say that they did.

The clatter of a door being opened could be heard just outside Inuyasha's study and he looked up. _'Finally.'_ He grumbled in his mind. _'The wench demes fit to show up.'_

"He's waiting for you in there Kagome." He heard Sango mutter.

"Alright, thanks Sango." He heard the wench say. Then she came in with soft footsteps and a nervous air.

Kagome, after softly closing the door, looked up at the figure behind the desk and had to consciously keep her mouth from dropping open.

…

…

…Silence filled the room like fog moving in on the bay at night…

…

…

…

…It was so thick that you could have written haiku on it…

…

…

…And worst of all…

…

…It was really getting on Inuyasha's nerves…

"Well, sit down, bitch!" He snapped at her. Kagome mentally shook off her shock and, though it irked her, ignored the name.

It was very different when you _corrected_ your employer through a wall of cork then when you _corrected_ your employer to his face…or, as the case may be…to his paper bag.

Yes. Inuyasha was wearing a paper bag over his head with holes cut out for his eyes. It had been Miroku's idea, a way to get around being a hanyou and all. Both of the men were too…erm…_pleased_ with their plan to see any flaw in Inuyasha's…erm…_apparel_.

"Sorry, sir." Kagome said softly. _'Gods,'_ she moaned mentally to herself. _'I'm not usually such an idiot…why did I hit him? Why? He's probably going to fire me! And then I won't be able to get another job soon enough and I'll have to leave behind the children and I won't be able to pay the bills for the Shrine back home and Mama and Sota and Grandpa and I will all be thrown out into the streets and-'_

"Your lessons start tomorrow. We will be in the same room as the last time I tried to tell you this…when you tried to poke my eye out you crazy bat." Inuyasha said, not realizing that he was interrupting her inner list of all sorts of horrible and nasty things that were going to happen to her and her family.

Kagome blinked.

"What?" She asked. Inuyasha glared at her from beneath his bag and Kagome could have sworn that she caught a flash of gold from the shadows.

Inuyasha sighed, completely exasperated.

"I thought that you were supposed to be _smart_!" He complained. "I _said_; your lessons start tomorrow. You'll meet me in the sitting room. We'll go back to our prior arrangement. I'll explain more then. Now get out."

"…wait, sir…lessons?" Kagome asked hesitantly. "I can assure you, though I have not graduated from the university I am fully qualified and I do not lack any elementary or, indeed, secondary education. I only had one term left in my fourth year of college…I'm perfectly educated, so what kind of lessons will I be undertaking with you?"

Inuyasha froze.

Shit. He hadn't thought about that.

"Um…I mean…you'll be reading books aloud to me…they'll really be my lessons…but you're the only one here who can read…uh…arcane languages…keh…" Inuyasha said slowly, making it up as he went along. That was complete nonsense of course, considering that the only people in his house who _couldn't_ read 'arcane languages' were Koga, the lesser servants and the children. Inuyasha just hoped that Kagome didn't know that.

Kagome regarded her bagged employer with suspicious confusion.

"…I thought that Sango could read all but Finnish and some of the other northern European languages…" Kagome said slowly. From within his bag Inuyasha blanched.

"Well, she's not as fluent anymore so you're doing it. Get used to it." Inuyasha snapped. "Now get out!"

Kagome's right eye twitched. But she figured that she had already risked her position enough; and so she stood with a little bow and fled before she did something that she regretted.

Once Inuyasha was sure that she was gone he took the bag off his head and frowned. Well…that had been odd. She had acted resigned, almost fearful, not anything like the girl that he had encountered in the past.

And he _still_ didn't know these damn beads were supposed to do!

_**G**_

Sango was examining the mural. It was truly beautiful, and she could only begin to comprehend how they had managed to finish it in one day.

…

It was lovely…

…

…

…

Okay, so she was bored. It wasn't like there was anything else to do! Even though you'd have thought that Inuyasha and Kagome meeting would have been exciting, it simply…wasn't. No matter how many horrible situations that Sango tried to think up she just couldn't shake the feeling of indifference.

"Well…" Sango muttered to herself. "This is dull. I wish that something would happen."

BANG went the front door.

"EEEEK!" Went Sango.

"WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU!" Went one of the pair now standing in the doorway.

THUD went a noise upstairs.

BOOM went sudden thunder outside.

CRACK went the just as sudden (and backwards) lightning.

"APOCOLYPSE!" Went a nearby servant.

"WELL!" Went the speaker from before.

"This Sesshomaru knows not of what you speak, woman."

_**G**_

_I know, I'm sorry that it's so short. It's just the perfect cliffhanger! I'll update sooner this time, promise. Blame all the people who kept bugging me to update…when people keep asking me when I'll update at school and stuff it really gets on my nerves. I've got nothing against it online, it's just in real life. It just…bugs me. _

_Remember to review!_


	9. The Lollapaloozas at Loggerheads

_Note: I went completely crazy with this chapter. Call it sugar high._

_**A special thank you to…**_

_**Miko no Kaze**_

_**MeiunTenshi**_

_**EBF…and co.**_

_**Al**_

_**ffgirlmoonie**_

_**Mistress of Demons**_

_**sweetrosie**_

_**spellsword666**_

_**Hearii-sama**_

_**Kyuusai: Hello!**_

_**Aria-wolfstar**_

_**Boylessgirl52941**_

_Disclaimer:_

_Jenny walks into a small café in Wales. In the distance you can see a big honking castle. A random woodpecker sounds in the distance._

_She sits down and a young, familiar, silver-haired waiter comes to her table. Jenny lowers her eyeglasses and looks at him._

_Jenny:…Inuyasha?_

_Inuyasha: Don't ask Jenny. Don't ask._

_Jenny: Um…okay…?_

_Inuyasha::sigh:…what can I help you with?_

_Jenny:…**dude. Someone whipped him into shape**…I think that I'll have…Death by Chocolate._

_Inuyasha: Okay._

_30 minutes later…_

_Jenny: THAT'S IT! FINAL STRAW MAN! FINAL STRAW::she points at the cowering Inuyasha, orders that aren't Death by Chocolate little the floor:_

_Jenny: **1 ownz u.**_

_Inuyasha: YOU CAN'T OWN ME ON FANFICTION!...And I don't think you can talk l33t either…_

_Pwale:…that was not l33t…_

_Inuyasha: Then what was it?_

_Pwale:…our attempt at remembering how l33t is supposed to go?_

_Al: Why can't you just write 'I don't own Inuyasha and co.' like you used to? Now people have to read between the lines!_

_Pwale:…no. They have to read between the **letters**. It's a completely different thing._

_Al: Fine. I'll say it for her. None of us own Inuyasha and co._

_Kagome:…was that in the script?_

_Jenny: No._

_To learn more about the adventures of Jenny and her friends please read Turns of Time and Turning Tides…and please, no one report this…the rules don't make sense, so I just do what other people do…erm…some of the time…I guess…_

**_Rated 'T' for language, violence, and other graphic scenes. If you are offended by any of this then don't read and don't go to New York City, also it would be advisable to stay out of any bars and Classical Arts sections of museums…and stay away from modern and French art and I'm not even going to go in to all the Avant Garde stuff._**

_**The Stamp Of Gold**_

_A story by Pwalefriend_

_**The lollapaloozas at loggerheads**_

_**That is actual English. Though…lollapalooza is derived from the French expression **allez-fusil**. The title means 'The extraordinary people engaged in a violent quarrel.'**_

_**Enjoy.**_

_**Attention**_

**_I dedicate this chapter to my first ever chocolate bunny, who dared to be the chocolate bunny of a Jewish kid on Easter. _**

_**DNPT.**_

_**End Attention**_

The one thing you _never_ expect is for something to happen _exactly_ when you want it to. That sort of thing just doesn't happen to you. You hear about it happening to other people, but it never happens to you.

That's why Sango was so surprised that almost immediately after she wished for something exciting to happen, Sesshomaru and Kagura Takahashi returned from their mysterious trip abroad…in the midst of an incredibly sudden thunder storm…on a day when all the trains had been pulled off for inspection.

Where had they come from? Where were their people?

When Sesshomaru and Kagura had left Rin at the Feudal Era mansion they had been burdened with an entire entourage that Kagura had made quite clear was coming along. Had the employers lost the employees along the way, perhaps?

"I can _not_ believe that you did that!" Kagura was shouting at her mate, husband and co-worker. "What the _hell_ got into you!"

"This Sesshomaru still does not understand you." Sesshomaru said calmly, wringing out his long, silver and soaking wet hair. Kagura opened her mouth to reply (and by the look on her face her reply was not going to be child appropriate) but before she could say anything-

"MAMA! PAPA! MAMA! PAPA!" Little Rin screamed as she ran across the room to them, her little face alight in joy. Kagome stood in the doorway, Shippo in her arms and Satsuki holding onto her knees. Kagome looked quite confused.

Maybe it was because she had never seen Rin look quite so happy before. It was probably just because there were new people though. And it also was probably because of the weird weather.

Koga popped his head into the door.

"Um…why is it raining over the mansion and no where else?" He asked slowly, completely ignoring the adorable family scene of Kagura and Sesshomaru greeting Rin happily.

"What?" Kagome asked. "Let me see!"

Well, the family scene might have been cute but most of the time it wasn't scientifically possible…

…

And there certainly was not any thunder and lightning in the times that it did happen.

But when Kagome went outside, Shippo still in her arms and Satsuki trailing behind at her heels, and they stood back a ways with Koga, sure enough…

…

"Um…" Kagome said slowly.

"It's happened once or twice before." Koga said to her unvoiced question. "…but it's never had eyes before…and it's _certainly_ never been made of noodles…"

Suddenly they saw Kohaku running past them to bow before the giant Flying Spaghetti Monster.

"OH GREAT FSM!" Kohaku cried, bowing down and homage to the…thing. "HOW MAY WE SERVE YOU, NOW THAT YOU HAVE DEEMED US FIT TO EXPERIENCE YOUR NOODLY APPEARANCE!"

"…Are we drunk?" Kagome, who had not touched alcohol since she had last gotten drunk two years ago, asked.

"…probably." Said Koga, who got drunk almost every day. "Let's go back inside."

"A fine idea."

Shippo looked down at Satsuki.

"What's that mean?" He asked. Satsuki shrugged. The two children shared a look. _'Grown-ups are really weird_._'_ They both thought.

**About half an hour later when everyone had calmed down enough to make any sense whatsoever…**

Kagome was sitting with Shippo in her lap. Across from her the severe and rather intimidating Lord and Lady Takahashi sat, while Rin and Satsuki dressed up Buyo in the corner. Kagome winced and tried to ignore the obese kitty being stuffed into a Princess gown. After all, she had a bigger challenges sitting across from her.

"When we left we were unaware that my brother would be hiring a governess." Lore Sesshomaru was explaining. "And I have complete distrust in anything that he might have written up. So I'm sure that you'll understand that we wish to review your credentials and your education and your…how to put it…style, I suppose, of teaching."

Kagome bowed her head. "Naturally." She said softly. Shippo glanced up at her face. He had never heard her sound so…meek. She was usually so passionate and fiery.

At that moment, Shippo didn't like Sesshomaru very much. He was making Kagome sad! Shippo glared at Rin's adoptive parents. The nerve of them! Making _Kagome_, their beloved teacher, _sad_.

"I don't!" Shippo snapped suddenly. Kagome gasped and both Kagura and Sesshomaru raised their eyebrows and just _looked_ at the suddenly very angry baby kitsune who was currently glaring at them for all he was worth.

"Eh?" Kagura said, since Sesshomaru wouldn't lower himself to it.

"I don't understand why you have to be mean to her!" Snapped Shippo.

"Shippo-" Kagome tried to interrupt, but Shippo was on a roll.

"You think that just because you're smarter then Inuyasha you can get away with anything you want!" Shippo yelled at them.

"…isn't _everyone_ smarter then Uncle Inuyasha?" Kagome heard Rin mutter from the corner.

"Well you can't!" Shippo continued. "I won't let you! Come on Kagome!" And with that the little Shippo hopped down from Kagome's lap and dragged the helpless and flabbergasted young woman out of them room. After a second or two of hesitation Rin and Satsuki followed, carrying the now-diva- Buyo in between them. The room was silent.

"…Well, I like her." Kagura announced after a moment.

"Really? Why?" Sesshomaru asked.

"Well, remember how those kids used to be?" Kagura asked. Sesshomaru and Kagura shared a look.

Rin, used to be she wouldn't talk to any adults but her family. She also had a tendency to hand her dolls.

"I don't see any dolly nooses, do you?" Kagura asked.

Satsuki, didn't talk at all, except to the other kids. Used to disappear for days, searching the fields for her long-lost brother and wouldn't come back until Inuyasha went out and got her. Then she had a tendency to destroy the rooms.

"I don't see any warning signs, do you?" Kagura asked.

Then there was Shippo, who pretty much just hated the world in general.

"True." Sesshomaru agreed. He sat back. "Alright, so she's perfect for the job. I still say that we should take the children on vacation."

This was an argument that they'd had going ever since they had 'lost' the servants and headed back home.

"You just want to do it to annoy Inuyasha." Kagura snapped, glaring a little at Sesshomaru. Sesshomaru smirked.

"Exactly." He said. Kagura sighed.

"Fine." She agreed.

**G**

The very next day Kagome was sitting in the classroom with the children, explaining how clouds worked, when Kagura entered the room with Sango at her side. Kagome looked up, saw that Sango was completely confused, and decided that something completely unexpected was about to happen. Sure enough-

"Pack your bags, children." Kagura announced. "We're going on vacation." Then she turned her eye towards Kagome. "I'm sorry Kagome dear, but Inuyasha won't let you come. He's that bitter." Shaking her head Kagura spun around and left, the children followed after, all trying to say things and ask questions at the top of their lungs.

"…" Kagome turned to Sango. "Are things always like this when the Lord and Lady come?"

"You have no idea." Sango said gloomily before heading out to find some other maids to help the children pack.

"Hum." Kagome said aloud, looking around her at the suddenly empty classroom. "Now what do I do?" Suddenly she brightened. "I know!" She said. "I'll get some food." Kagome rose and started walking at a slow pace to the kitchens.

And yes, Kagome did often talk aloud to herself. Whoever told you that was a sign of insanity was definitely a person who had no active imagination, as Kagome liked to say.

She could never figure out why people would start coughing and sidling away when she said that. She only meant that when it's quiet it's a lot easier to imagine horrible hideous things sneaking up on you and eating you and things like that.

Of course…the last time she had tried to explain that to someone they had started screaming and yelling and throwing things at her. She didn't get what the big deal was, so what if they weren't going to forget that? They could just talk aloud to themselves like she did. Sheesh.

Well, here were the kitchens. Kagome gave a great big sniff of the beautiful aroma that came from the entryway before entering. She looked around happily at the hustle and bustle.

"I want…" Kagome thought about it for a moment. "…I think that I want some…soup." And with that Kagome set off in search of some delicious and scrumptious and healthy and aromatic and savory soup. What? There are just some times when you just _must_ have some soup!

_**G**_

Kagome was sitting on the steps with Miroku and Koga, eating her soup, when Sesshomaru, Kagura and the children came out, all fit to leave. Kagome put down her soup, though she did so with mixed feelings, and got up to say goodbye to everyone. She ignored the way that Miroku was hungrily eyeing her soup.

"Bye everyone!" Kagome said, hugging all three of the children at once. Shippo gave a shy peck on the cheek and she smiled at him warmly before returning the favor. "Have fun and be good!" She said.

"We will!" The children all chorused, smiling up at her charmingly. Kagura and Sesshomaru smirked at each other. They had just _known_ that Kagome Higurashi was the right girl for the job the minute they had seen her!

Soon though they had departed and Kagome stood waving until they were out of sight. When she turned to return to her lunch she nearly had a heart attack.

Miroku was gone…and so was her soup.

Kagome's eye twitched.

Oh, he was in BIG trouble now! If he thought that Sango could pack a punch, well, he had another thing coming!

Kagome's usually a nice girl, but when you get her on the warpath she gets _really_ scary.

_**G**_

"You can come out now, Inuyasha." Kaede said patiently though with a sigh. "The…_thing_…that is…_not_…your brother and his wife have left and taken the children with them."

Inuyasha stuck his head out of the blanket.

"Are you sure?" He asked. Kaede sighed again.

"No Inuyasha." She snapped. "They're waiting outside the door with big axes. And maybe they're hiding under your bed." And with that she strode out of his dismal rooms.

"Hey!" Inuyasha shouted after her. "He really did that!"

Kaede rolled her eyes. Of course she knew that Sesshomaru had really hid under Inuyasha's bed with a giant fake ax when the boys had been younger, she had been the one to put Sesshomaru up to it. Of course, she would never tell Inuyasha that. In her defense she had been much younger at the time too.

Kaede was so immersed in her memories of her younger days in the Takahashi estate, back when she was no more then ten, that she didn't notice the piece of paper on the stairs until she had stepped on it…

…and paper and marble steps don't have much friction if you know what I mean.

It's a bird! It's a plane! No! It's Kaede! Let's hope that she falls on the random mattress that some idiot left on the floor!

_**G**_

_Well, I hoped that you enjoyed that chapter. See! Didn't I tell you that I'd update much sooner this time! Let's just hope that I can keep it up. Remember to review!_


	10. Attention Class!

_**A special thanks to…**_

_**Hearii-sama**_

_**Boylessgirl52941**_

_**total-manga-freak**_

_**sweetrosie**_

_**Al**_

_**Miko no Kaze**_

_**inukagforeva17**_

_**Remenscent**_

_**MeiunTenshi**_

_**Mistress of Demons**_

_**RedHairedEggHead**_

_**ffgirlmoonie**_

_**Avelyn Lauren **_

_Disclaimer:_

_Mr. X.: 100 bottles of beer on the wall, 100 bottles of beer. Take one down, pass it around, 99 bottles of beer on the wall._

_Jenny enters._

_Jenny: He still at it?_

_Pwale: Yeah…_

_Jenny: What number did he start at again._

_Pwale: 10,000. _

_Jenny:…Dear gods…_

_Kagome: My sentiments exactly._

_Pwale: Well, it's no matter. I WILL NOT GIVE IN!_

_Mr. X.: 97 bottles of beer on the wall, 97 bottles of-_

_Jenny: Come on Pwale! It's just one sentence! You've said it before even!_

_Pwale: Yeah! But it was never a matter-_

_Kagome: I don't know how much more I can take…_

_Pwale: As I was saying, it was never a matter of will power before!_

_Mr. X: 94 bottles of beer on the wall, 94 bottles of beer! Take one down, pass it around, 93 bottles of beer on the wall!_

_Al: Fine! If you won't say it, I will!_

_Al grabs the bars of the cell that holds Mr. X._

_Al: WE DON'T OWN INUYASHA, MEANING THE SERIAL NAME, NOT THE ACTUAL CHARACTER!_

_Mr. X: See! That wasn't so hard, now was it?_

_Pwale:…_

_Jenny:…_

_Al:…_

_Lia: I **knew** that this flamethrower was going to be a useful investment!_

_**Important Note:** In this chapter I bring in a type of race called the Elementals. I do not know much about this particular faerie, so do not take me for an expert and do not quote me. Also, I have encountered in the past people who think some items of folklore belong to popular authors. For example, I know many people who thought that J. K. Rowling invented the hippogryph and the basilisk before I actually had to go online and get reference books to prove them wrong. As such, I feel it only fair to mention that no one owns any of the Faerie concepts I mention in here. No one owns the Faerie Courts, and unless someone has a bid on Irish folklore, there's no way anyone ever could._

_**EVEN MORE IMPORTANT NOTE:** It's my birthday today! So, as a special birthday present to you guys I'm presenting this chapter. I'm sorry that it's so short, but I just **had** to do something! Enjoy!_

_**The Stamp of Gold**_

_A story by Pwalefriend_

_**Attention Class!**_

Kagome was once again standing outside of Inuyasha Takahashi's quarters and was once again deliberating whether or not she could quit and still get paid. She was certain that if she considered it long enough she would find away to pull it off. Inspiration had to strike her some time!

But after five minutes of waiting Kagome was forced to admit that Inspiration wasn't in a striking mood that day. And so, with a heavy sigh, she pulled open the door and gave a little prayer to whatever God or Goddess might b listening that this 'session' might not be _too_ abnormal.

Kagome went to the room where she had first heard the voice of her employer. The room with all the leather and the dark wood. It was, after all, where Mr. Takahashi had told her to meet him. She wondered if he was going to be behind the cork wall as he had been before.

Sure enough, a moment after she had sat down the wall panel slid back to reveal a new and improved cork panel. A slight shadow was behind it, a shadow that Kagome could only assume to be Inuyasha himself.

"There are books on the table next to you." Came Inuyasha's voice.  
Kagome looked and saw, sure enough, a bunch of rather large piles of books. It was beyond her how she hadn't noticed them earlier. "Pick up the top one of the pile nearest you."

Kagome obeyed.

It was a dusty leather volume, old with gold filigree.

"…This isn't very…arcane…" Kagome said, gesturing to the language. It was, indeed, her own native tongue.

"We'll start out with the easy things." Came Inuyasha's voice. He sounded as if he was sulking. "Begin." He commanded. Kagome took a deep breath and began.

"_The Anatomy of Magik and the Elements of_" She read. "_When one first begins the long and laborious study of magik it is important, nay, it is crucial to understand first it's creation and second it's limits. Magik, different from the rubbish magic of the lower classes and the magick used to keep children in bed, is something of science and-_"

"Stop." Inuyasha interrupted. "Try the next one."

So Kagome picked up the next one.

It was newer, a nice fancy red leather cover, and this time it was written in an arcane language.

But before Kagome could get to page two even Inuyasha had her pick up another book.

And so it proceeded for a couple hours, until Kagome's voice got so tired and her throat rather rough that Inuyasha told her to stop and go get some lunch.

"By the way…" he added when she got up to go. "I haven't seen Kaede today. Where's the old bat? Usually she's up here first thing, making me eat the rubbish she sends up."

Kagome spared a startled glance in his general direction.

"Oh, didn't you know?" Kagome asked. "She fell down the stairs yesterday and put out her back. The poor dear is laid up in bed now, and she says that she'll probably have to stay there for a month at least."

Inuyasha snorted.

"Yeah right." He said. "She's probably just trying to get out of work."

Kagome sighed.

"Well, Mr. Takahashi-"

"Inuyasha." He interrupted.

"Pardon?"

"Inuyasha. It's my name. Use it."

"Sorry…since Kaede is the only one with medical training, _Inuyasha_, we will just have to take her word for it." And with that Kagome left Inuyasha alone to his thoughts.

Inuyasha stood and entered the Leather Room, as Miroku had taken to referring to it since it didn't really serve any particular purpose. He sat down in the chair that Kagome had just left, enjoying the warmth left in the chair. One of the books caught his eye and he sighed.

Well, he had been right. Even though he wished to the gods that he hadn't been. Kagome Higurashi was a nice enough girl with a fiery temper and a way with children. She didn't deserve to be mixed up in all of this. Too bad she had answered his letter, because now she didn't really have a choice. He may not like using people to his own advantage, but that didn't mean he was above it. Besides, this had to be done if anything was ever going to get any better for all of them.

"Master…" Came a small voice from at his elbow. Inuyasha looked down and saw the little Elemental that was looking at him with laughing eyes.

Elementals.

They were Inuyasha's true friends, they were the ones he trusted the most.

What are the Elementals?

There are many different types of Elementals. Inuyasha, for all his study, never pretended to know all of them or know much of anything about them. You knew as much as they wanted you to know, and that was it.

What Inuyasha _did_ know was that each culture had it's own set of Elementals. Elementals are part of the Faerie Folk, or the Fey, or the Folk. They belong to neither the Seelie Court nor the Unseelie Court.

They were…hard to explain.

Many of the books that Inuyasha had read listed the earth Elemental to be a Gnome. Inuyasha doubted this, since all the illustrations he had ever seen depicted a gnome as being a dwarfish old man with colorful clothing and red hats.

But the earth Elementals that Inuyasha had in his service looked like little bonsai trees without any leaves.

"Yes?" Inuyasha said.

"What is it that you with that girl?" The Elemental asked. "She has power, like a deva. A being of equal power to ourselves, but of a different kind of power. Remarkable, truly. Rare to see it these days, and even less so in the educated young women, who must rely on the scientific nature they are taught if they are to be accepted by the racist officials." And with that the Elemental stole away.

Inuyasha shrugged. The Elementals often said things that they wanted you to know, but they never told you why they thought that you should know it. Perhaps it was because they didn't quite exist on this plane, and as such they just assumed that you already knew what they didn't tell you. He would store this information away for later deliberation…if he remembered. Inuyasha spared almost no thought to anything, except magic. There, even he wasn't stupid enough to do anything without careful consideration…but then again…that was never the sort of mistake that anyone made twice, now was it?

Inuyasha sighed and leaned his head back in his chair. Why did it all have to turn out like this?

_**G**_

Kagome was sitting quietly at Kaede's bedside with a small bowl of fruit salad in her hands. She had come here earlier to give the assistant Healer time to rest. Of course, without Kaede, none of them knew what to do or to what extent the damage might be, so they kept someone at her side at all times.

Kagome looked around.

She had never really been in the Healing Hall before. And now that she was she was actually rather surprised by the extent of work that obviously went into this.

Where did Kaede get all this money?

All right. Kagome decided. Enough's enough. She stood up.

"I'm not doing anything until I find out where all this money's coming from." She announced to the empty hall, which looked startlingly like a hospital wing. "For all I know this money could come from slavery, or child labor, or animal abuse, or…heck, for all I know Inuyasha could just _magic _everything into existence." Kagome chuckled a little. "But of course, that's utterly ridiculous."

_Well? Review! Review as a birthday present! Please?_

_I'll see you next time…_

_Sincerely_

_Pwalefriend._


	11. As Merry As The Day Is Long

_**A special thank you to…**_

_**katcastle**_

_**Miko no Kaze**_

_**Kaitsurinu-chan**_

_**ffgirlmoonie**_

_**sweetrosie**_

_**Eck, what are you doing?**_

_**Boylessgirl52941**_

_**Remenescent**_

_**Hearii-sama**_

_**kawaiiauri: A flattered thanks to you.**_

_**Bun-chan529**_

_**inufan4ever2591**_

_**preistessmykala**_

_**MeiunTenshi**_

_**Avelyn Lauren  
**_

_**Thank you to everyone who wished me a happy birthday! It was a lovely party. Chaos, violence, horrible singing and candy. I had lots of fun. May all of you have such lovely and humorous birthday celebrations for the rest of your lives! **_

_**Yippee!**_

_Disclaimer: Okay, sorry. No script today. Tired, cranky. Too much sugar equals no Funny Disclaimer:_

_Inuyasha: …who the hell are you?_

_I'm the author you mother fcking idiot. _

_Jenny: 9-1-1! 9-1-1!_

_Sesshomaru: …oh…gods…_

_You're all over reacting. I'm just a little tired._

_Mr. X: HOLD ON PWALE! HOLD ON! I'M WITH YOU! YOU'RE GOING TO BE OKAY!_

_Jenny: HELP! FIRE! POLICE! MURDER! BLOOD! OH, HELL, BMBS!_

_That is starred out because it would be ridiculous to get in trouble when that's all I said. Stupid surveillance. _

_Al: Tsk tsk. Overkill, as usual._

_Belle: Sigh. Well, we don't own the characters._

_Lia: Um…what the fsck? What the hell are you doing here!_

_Belle: I asked Pwale if I could._

_Al: Don't ask. Don't ask._

_Lia: But-_

_Al: HEY! A FOLK SONG! PWALE WROTE A FOLK SONG INTO THIS THING!_

_Belle: Don't we have to disclaim that to?_

_Lia: Nope! It's part of the public domain! _

_Belle: Oh…what folk song is it? _

_Lia & Al: IT'S CALLED THE BOLD PEDLAR AND ROBIN HOOD!_

_Belle: …Joy._

_Al…and…and…and…SHAKESPEARE! Pwale, you're doing this to make me happy, aren't you?_

_No. I just…like Shakespeare._

_Al: …say that again?_

_I like Shakespeare. Not Hamlet or Romeo and Juliet. Those are still stupid._

_Al: So close…and yet…so far…_

_Sigh. I don't own Much Ado About Nothing or Midsummer's Night Dream, both of which are quoted in here._

_Mr. X: DON'T LEAVE ME PWALE! DON'T LEAVE ME!_

_**The Stamp of Gold**_

_A story by Pwalefriend_

_**As Merry As The Day Is Long**_

Kagome and Sango were sitting side by side on a fence. The sun was setting and they were remembering, each woman thinking of her own separate memories.

It felt good to have friends, friends who would stay by you no matter what. Friends who you could count on to understand you.

"Sango…" Kagome said. "Have you ever thought about what it would be like to die?"

"…Yes." Sango answered. Kagome smiled.

That was it. They needed no further communication. They understood each other, and they understood what each was remembering.

And each to her own, as the saying goes.

Puzzle that out, if you can.

_**G**_

Sango was walking down the hall, a big broom in hand.

"…Miss Sango?" A passing servant asked hesitantly.

"Have you seen that moron?" Sango asked her snappishly. The servant looked at her.

"Which one?" The woman asked. Sango chuckled and waved the servant on, saying that she'd continue looking for the 'evil, slimy little git' by herself.

Of course, she was referring to Miroku, who was currently cowering by Kaede's bed, and receiving a lecture from the old woman about respecting the women of the world.

Kagome was sitting next to him laughing. Inuyasha was standing out of sight, a smile on his face. Koga was mixing an herbal painkiller for Kaede, voluntarily. Yes, life was good.

A nearby servant, who had decided that Kaede was taking everything far too seriously, started to play on his fiddle. Koga started to laugh and then presented his hand to Kagome.

"Care to dance, fair lady?" He asked. Kagome giggled. Kaede rolled her eyes, but still smiled anyway.

"Why of course, good sir." She said, bowing and allowing him to sweep her up. They waltzed around the room, both of them shouting '1, 2, 3! 1, 2, 3!'

Outside the room Inuyasha's eyebrow twitched.

Suddenly Sango brushed past him, Inuyasha gaped at the injustice of having his own employees ignore him…even though that was what he had hoped would happen in the first place.

"THERE YOU ARE!" She screamed at Miroku. Miroku just laughed and grabbed her into his arms.

"Dance with me?" He asked as he whirled around with the now laughing Sango in his arms.

"_There chanced to be a Pedlar bold, a Pedlar bold there chanced to be; He put his pack all on his back, and so merrily trudged over the lea._" Kagome, who knew the song that was being played, sang. Sango knew it too and the two girls sang it at each other as they continued to dance. The servants gathered all around and soon everyone was dancing and singing out the old folk song.

"_O Pedlar, Pedlar, what is they name? Come speedily and tell to me. Come, my name I ne'er will tell, till both your names you have told to me._"

Inuyasha was just turning to go back to his room when something caught his attention from the corner of his eye. Turning, Inuyasha saw two Elementals huddled beneath Kaede's bed, giggling to each other. Inuyasha shrugged.

'_I wonder what they're up to…'_ He thought idly as he made his way back upstairs. He shrugged again. _'Not that it's really any of my business.'_

Well, as it would turn out, he was half-wrong, and half-right.

_**G**_

Kagome walked slowly back to her room, swaying side to side in her exhaustion. It had been an afternoon full of dancing, singing, laughing and basically all manner of revelry, and now, at nearly midnight, Kagome was half-dead on her feet.

"No, but to the gate; and there will the devil meet me, like an old cuckold, with horns on his head, and say 'Get you to heaven, Beatrice, get you to heaven; here's no place for you maids:' so deliver I up my apes, and away to Saint Peter for the heavens; he shows me where the bachelors sit, and there live we as merry as the day is long." Kagome muttered under her breathe. She always had loved Shakespeare, and of his plays Much Ado About Nothing had to be her favorite…and after an evening of revelry who _wouldn't_ want to quote Beatrice, if one knew her words.

"Or maybe Puck…" Kagome mused. The absolute nonsense that she was spouting off made it clear that she was on her way to sleep walking. "I we shadows have offended…is that how it goes? Nay…wait…no, that is how it goes? Now what is the next part? The more my wrong the more his spite appears. What, did he marry me to famish me? Nope…that The Taming Of The Shrew…or is it Taming Of The Shrew…what's the one with the girls who run away and one of them pretends to be a boy again?"

Kagome was finally at her room. She pushed open the door and half-fell half-somersaulted into her bed. She was about to snuggled and wriggle her way under the covers with her eyes closed when something whisked away the blankets.

Kagome sat up immediately.

"Is that…" Kagome yawned. "…I don't know…I'm tired…gimme back my blankies…" Kagome yawned again.

What? I said she_ sat_ up, I never said that she _woke_ up.

Kagome saw her blankets hovering at the foot of her bed and, too tired to try and make any reason of it (and in some dim and sleeping part of her mind pretty much figuring that she was dreaming anyway) she pulled back the blankets. Her tired mind registered a tiny levitating tree and then she promptly fainted.

The little Elemental giggled. They liked this human. She was so much fun!

Several Elementals pulled the blankets over her and tucked her sleeping body into bed, while another one sat above her and recited, before they whisked themselves away to Faerieland, to await the newborn day.

"If we shadows have offended,

Think but this, and all is mended,

That you have but slumber'd here

While these visions did appear.

And this weak and idle theme,

No more yielding but a dream,

Gentles, do not reprehend:

if you pardon, we will mend:

And, as I am an honest Puck,

If we have unearned luck

Now to 'scape the serpent's tongue,

We will make amends ere long;

Else the Puck a liar call;

So, good night unto you all.

Give me your hands, if we be friends,

And Robin shall restore amends."

_Well, there you have it. The reason for all the Shakespeare is that we've been working with a lot of his stuff in class, and I thought to myself, what better way then to introduce the faeries then to quote Puck? The answer, no better way. Even Ariel doesn't stand a chance against Puck. PUCK ROCKS MAN! HE ROCKS!_

_Uh oh…I hope that I didn't anger the gremlins again…I always do that!_

_Grr…stupid…no wait, I mean…OH BLESS ALL GREMLINS! HAIL THE GREMLINS!_

_Really sorry that it took me so long to update, FFN wouldn't let me on to my account, so I couldn't upload the chapter or anything. Sigh. I was going to update on Saturday the 29th, but I couldn't._

_I love my Review Lion. _

_So review! Or the Review Lion will eat you ALL up!_

_Sincerely_

_Pwalefriend_


	12. The Oldest Story In The Book

_**A special thank you to…**_

_**MeiunTenshi**_

_**Remenescent**_

_**ffgirlmoonie**_

_**Boylessgirl52941**_

_**sweetrosie **_

_**EBF**_

_**Destiny's Gem**_

_**Miko no Kaze**_

_**Sesshomaru v.s Inuyasha**_

_**inufan4ever2591**_

_**Mistress of Demons**_

_**Al**_

_**Avelyn Lauren**_

_Disclaimer: _

_Pwale: 1…2…3…_

_Jenny: Um…_

_Pwale: 1…2…3…_

_Mr. X: What the…_

_Pwale: 1…2…3…_

_Al: …is she okay?_

_Pwale: …hmm…_

_Lia: …is…is that what I think it is?_

_Inuyasha: Kutsu…_

_Pwale: 1…2…3…_

_Inuyasha: Hatsu!_

_Mr. X: Um…is he speaking in Japanese?_

_Jenny: Unfortunately, yes. Pwale got a Kana workbook and a Japanese manga, she's been trying to translate it ever since. So far she's got the syllables 'a' as in Father and 'i' as in Machine memorized. _

_Pwale: …damn, what the hell is…HEY! EURIKA!_

_Al: What did you find?_

_Pwale: I CAN RECOGNIZE THE NAME OF INUYASHA, KAGOME **AND** RUMIKO TAKAHASHI!_

_Lia: …Good gods…_

_Pwale: And since I'm SO happy about this, I'll even say it! I don't own any of the things in this here manga that have their names written in Kanji! And for two reasons!_

_Al: …what are those two reasons?_

_Pwale: One…I don't. Two…I can't read them._

_Mr. X: What's she going to do when she's translated the book and figures out that she still can't read Japanese, even if it is using the Roman alphabet?_

_Jenny: I don't know…buy a dictionary?_

_Pwale: How sad is it that I learned more in one day of studying Japanese then I did in two years of studying Latin?_

_Lia: Not that sad. Japanese has pretty lines and things. Latin has horrible declensions and cases. It's really a no-brainer. _

_Mr. X: Let's just get on with the chapter. _

_Pwale: Oh…and yes, I do quote Scully. _

_**The Stamp Of Gold**_

_A story by Pwalefriend_

_**The Oldest Story In The Book**_

It's the oldest story in the book. And yet, every time it starts being told again, people act like it's the end of the world. They act as if _no one_ could have seen it coming. It's not like people don't know it! _Everyone _knows the basic plot line! It goes something like this…

Two men. One woman. Trouble.

_**G**_

Kagome was walking in the fields by herself. She was wrapped up in a thick down coat that she had stolen from Sango. It was a cold wintry day in November, and it looked like it was going to start snowing any minute. Kagome shivered and drew the coat tighter around her.

She _hated_ cold days. And this was almost as bad as the city, where the slightest breeze would become a billowing wind when it swept through the streets in between the modern skyscrapers. Kagome had once heard it said that it was even worse in New York, and that you didn't want to be outside in NYC on a blustery day. Normally Kagome didn't set foot outside on days like today.

But Kagome needed some air. She had been cooped up in that mansion for days now, and the whole place was starting to feel stuffy.

Kagome looked up and saw before her the forest that she had come to with the children her first day at the mansion. With a little smile she decided that she was going to see if she could find the Tree again. Kagome looked around a little and then spotted the small path that the children had taken her on that first day, she was sure that it led to the Tree.

_**G**_

Inuyasha looked at Miroku in horror.

"What do you _mean_ Koga's going…going to…to…" Inuyasha stammered. Miroku raised an eyebrow.

"Now, _really_ Inuyasha." Miroku said. "It's not that hard to say, and it's not that outrageous a thought…exactly…"

"So _you_ say it then!" Inuyasha shot back. Miroku grinned.

"Happily." He said. "Koga's going to-"

"GAH! DON'T SAY IT!" Inuyasha screamed, leaning forward to clamp a clawed hand on Miroku's mouth. "It's just…too…bizarre…and…really wrong."

"Inuyasha," Miroku said, sounding rather offended. "I resent that. There is nothing wrong about it! It's one person admiring another person for-"

"Not _that_ kind of wrong, moron!" Inuyasha snapped. "Wrong as in it's not in the script."

Miroku blinked. Inuyasha sat back with his arms crossed and a smirk covering his features. He obviously thought that he had just won the argument.

"…Script?" Miroku asked after a moment. Inuyasha's smirk vanished to be replaced by a frown.

"Yes, script." He said.

"What script, Inuyasha?" Miroku asked.

"_The _script."

"There isn't a script Inuyasha."

"Well…no, not exactly. But if there _was_, then this wouldn't be in it!"

"Inuyasha…you've been reading the Editorials again, haven't you?" Miroku asked in a weary manner. Inuyasha scowled.

"There is nothing wrong with reading the Editorials." He snapped.

"Normally, no." Miroku said. "But you pick at the writers and then take your assumptions to be truth."

"Oh for the love of…" Inuyasha snapped, sitting upright. "That was _one_ time! And that mad _did_ have mental issues! I mean, he said that he _ducked_ his wife because she talked back to him! I mean, _honestly_! What age are we in? The Elizabethan?"

"…Maybe." Miroku said. "When did that end, exactly?"

Inuyasha opened his mouth to reply, and then stopped.

"Keh." He said, crossing his arms sulkily. Miroku rolled his eyes.

"You don't know, do you?" He asked.

"…Do you?"

"I wonder if it's in the Encyclopedia…"

"Probably."

The two men looked at each other for a moment before getting up with to great sighs and they began to look through the numerous unlabeled books lying around in Inuyasha's study.

"How come almost every time you come up here to tell me something, it ends up with us having to look something up?" Inuyasha snapped. Miroku just shrugged.

"Is this it?" He asked, opening a huge book. Inuyasha glanced over.

"It's an Encyclopedia, yeah." He said. "But I can't read Arabic, can you?"

"Why on Earth do you have an Arabic Encyclopedia?" Miroku asked, peering at the alien runes. Inuyasha shrugged.

"Keeping on to it for a friend." He said. "Now get off your ass and help me look."

_**G**_

When Kagome felt the first tiny bit of icy cold land on her nose she opened her eyes and looked up just in time to see the first snowfall of the year come softly falling down towards her.

She had reached the Tree a while ago and had been resting, sitting on the Earth and resting her head on the forgiving moss-covered roots of the grand old Tree. She had been dreaming of the stories this grand old Tree could tell if it had the voice to tell them and she had been wondering about the ways the world spoke, thinking about a phrase she had recently read. The phrase went, 'The world can speak, but it does not have a human voice.' And so, as the snow came down Kagome lifter her arms and announced to the whole wide world-

"The sky is falling. It's come to visit for a while."

Kagome smiled and laughed at the complete absurdity of this as the world slowly but steadily became a planet of soft and silent white. She got up and danced around in a circle as snowflakes fell on her head, standing out like stars to the night of her blackest hair.

"Having fun?" A deep male voice asked. Kagome whirled around to see none other then Koga, standing there with a staff in one hand and a handsome smile on his dark face. He was quite a handsome lad…

Shame that he was a drunkard and untrustworthy, because otherwise he was quite the likeable fellow.

"Yes!" Kagome said, breathlessly. "It's so beautiful." She told him in complete sincerity.

"It is." He said. Then he got a wicked, wicked grin on his face. "Say, Kagome…" He said.

"What?" She asked absentmindedly.

"What's that above your head?" Koga asked. Kagome blinked and looked up. The moment she turned her head upwards Koga swooped in and swept her into his arms.

"Wha-Koga!" Kagome shouted, though she still laughed. Koga laughed with her and her twirled her around and around, both of them laughing together.

"Kagome!" Sango's voice came from not to far off. "Kagome!"

"_Kagome!_" And there was Kohaku too.

"Here, Sango!" Kagome shouted. "Here Kohaku!" She and Koga looked at each other, and they both had a brilliantly evil idea.

"Oh, are you here Kagome?" Sango asked, coming into the clearing where the Tree stood. She looked around. There was no one there?

"Huh?" Kohaku peered around from behind her. "That's odd." He said. "I could have sworn that this is where she-"

"NOW!" Kagome screamed from behind the Tree. She and Koga leapt forth and proceeded to pummel Kohaku and Sango with the snowballs that they had managed to make with the limited amount of snow and time that they had.

"And Koga too!" Kohaku chuckled. Sango glared at Koga and Kagome, who were chuckling to one another, laughing on each other's shoulders.

"This means war." She said as she scooped up a handful of snow and lobbed it at Kagome. Kohaku threw another snowball at Koga.

Koga and Kagome took one look at the siblings before taking off for an afternoon full of wintry fun.

_**G**_

"Lady Kaede, look!" A servant cried, pointing at the window. "It's snowing!"

Kaede looked up.

"Aye, child." She said. "So it is."

"Really?" The other servants asked as they all rushed to the window and crowded around Kaede's bed. They had moved her, at her request, so that she could watch the grounds while she was bedridden. Now they all watched in wonder and joy as the world transformed shed it's grey skin of late Autumn for a pristine white one of early Winter. As they watched for figures came from the forest and towards the mansion. The figures, the servants all saw, were merry and red-faced.

_**G**_

"Eh? Inuyasha?" Miroku asked, looking up from the book he was reading and seeing his master gazing out the window with his hand on the glass.

"It's snowing." Inuyasha said. Miroku stood up and walked to stand beside his employer and friend.

"It is snowing." He agreed. He followed Inuyasha's gaze and saw Sango, Kohaku, Koga and Kagome about to come inside, all of them laughing together and having the time of their lives. Miroku took one glance at Inuyasha's face, and new better then to comment on how happy they all looked. Miroku clapped Inuyasha on the shoulder.

"I don't like the snow." Inuyasha said. Miroku sighed.

"Come Inuyasha." He said. "Let's get back to our search."

_**G**_

"I have…a strange feeling about this winter." Kaede said slowly. "The Folk themselves only know what it will bring, we can only wait to see."

But still her old eyes searched the skies, as if the heavens would present the answers to the mysterious events that would soon unfold at Inuyasha Takahashi's mansion, the stately _Feudal Era_.

_**G**_

In the forest two Elementals flitted in between the trees, giggling wildly to themselves. O, what fun these mortals would prove to be!

_**G**_

_Well, I must say that I had fun writing this chapter. I'm going a little easier on Koga then I usually do, because I recently saw the anime where they introduce him and I have become much more fond of him._

_To answer the inevitable question before it comes, I read the manga, I don't watch the anime. Which is why some of my accounts are different from other people's. I watch the anime when I can, but I don't have what one would exactly call Television. I have 3 channels. ABC News, Fox New, and WGBY. Good for British Comedies and second-rate news…not too good for anime._

_I have finally managed to separate my Review Lion from a certain rubber mouse that a certain Miko had given it…now if I could only find my Catnip Armor…_

_But I assure you! As long as there is no catnip, my Review Lion will be in perfect eating condition! So if you do not review, then the Review Lion will come and eat you up! And as soon as I find the blasted armor, no amount of catnip would be able to save you! So REVIEW!_

_Please?_

_Sincerely_

_Pwalefriend _


	13. Chronos

_**A special thank you to…**_

_**Tinuviels's Song**_

_**Boylessgirl52941**_

_**Hearii-sama**_

_**ffgirlmoonie**_

_**MeiunTenshi**_

_**Miko no Kaze**_

_**haunting hanyou**_

_**sweetrosie**_

_**Al**_

_**flynfreako**_

_**Remenescent**_

_**Mistress of Demons**_

_**Avelyn Lauren**_

_Disclaimer:_

_Lawyer #1 & #2: Well, well, well. We meet again._

_Pwale: …I thought I killed you guys._

_Mr. X: …uh-oh…:he leans over to Jenny.: Hide me!_

_Jenny: Hell no. _

_Lawyer #2: YOU! So this is where you've been hiding, eh?_

_Mr. X: …_

_Lawyer #1: You **traitor**! How dare you betray our cause by siding with this…this…this mongrel!_

_Pwale: Hey! Don't be mean to Inuyasha!_

_Sesshomaru: Though it pains me to say this, I have to agree with the lawyer. Inuyasha is a mongrel._

_Pwale: Then what does that make you? A pure breed?_

_Sesshomaru: …yes._

_Pwale: …_

_Al: …_

_Lia: …you do realize that's a bad thing?_

_Jenny: Uh, guys…for most people that's a good thing._

_Pwale: Yeah…well then those people are foolish! Pure breed's are never as **cute**, you know? I mean the Tramp is much cuter than Lady! _

_Lawyer #1: That's all a matter of opinion!_

_Jenny: I have to side with the penguin there. Lady's cuter._

_Al: Penguin? What penguin? WHERE! TELL ME!_

_Jenny: I meant the lawyer._

_Al: Oh…_

_Lawyer #2 comes back from a huddle he's been having with Sesshomaru and Mr. X in the corner. He looks defeated._

_Lawyer #2: Judging from the previous disclaimers, I am forced to admit that you do not own these characters and that you recognize that fact._

_Pwale: Really? You're not just saying that?_

_Lawyer #2 nods. Lawyer #1 looks around._

_Lawyer #1: Nice place you got here._

_Pwale: Yeah. Surprisingly easy to clean, for a castle._

_Lawyer #1: No servants?_

_Pwale: Only invisible ones, minions, candy monsters and a Review Lion…somewhere…_

_Lawyer #1: Really? Do you own that?_

_Pwale: Absolutely! But…sniff…she keeps accepting catnip from…sob…other people…sniff…_

_Mr. X: Oh, you poor dear._

_Sesshomaru (smirking): I'd hug you, but I can't so I won't._

_Pwale: That made no sense, and you said it wrong. **And** it's my line! I made it up!_

_Lia: Really? _

_Pwale: Either that or I read it somewhere._

_Al: WE ARE STOPPING THIS DISCLAIMER RIGHT NOW!_

_Pwale: What! NOOOO! I WASN'T DONE!_

_Al: …QUICK! ATTACK! DON'T LET HER WRITE ANY MORE!_

_Please note that this chapter title, chronos, is the Greek word for time and season. I am not making this up, and I did not get it from an unreliable source. Unless my textbook is entirely made up of lies…I wouldn't be surprised actually._

_Sorry! You can read the chapter now!_

_**The Stamp Of Gold**_

_**Chronos**_

_By Pwalefriend_

Waiting. Inuyasha was waiting. That isn't something that Inuyasha usually has the patience to do. He normally just, if he had to wait, waited _impatiently_ for whomever or whatever he was waiting for. But get this time he was waiting _patiently_ for _Kagome_ who, he had told himself, was_ worth it_.

Now, this may just seem cute and sweet to you, but may I remind you that they don't know each other all that well. And even to people whom Inuyasha's known for _years_ he's about as warm and loving as a cactus in Antarctica.

So there was probably some hidden agenda here.

The door opened and Inuyasha perked up, peering through the cork to see if it really was the governess who had just entered. It was, he was relieved to see. She sat down and waited patiently for his instruction. Inuyasha smirked at her obedience.

"Good morning Kagome." He said.

"Good morning Inuyasha." She replied. "I hope I finds you well." Kagome added. Inuyasha snorted.

"As well as can be expected with the weather." He said. Kagome blinked.

"You don't like the snow?" She asked. Inuyasha shook his head before remembering that even though he could see her (courtesy of super eyesight and mirror technology) she could not see him.

"No, I don't." He said.

Yes, you read that correctly, mirror technology. Inuyasha had equipped the study with a set of mirrors that were set up so that he could see all of his rooms from a set of mirrors that he had with him in his little confession box-like area. It was a complicated concept, and not one that even Inuyasha who (for all his idiocy) was actually a technical genius, had not been able to figure out on his own. It had taken physical help (labor) from Miroku and magical help (labor) from the Elementals to establish the system, but as Inuyasha would often say, it was worth the sweat (not his own sweat, of course).

"Why not?" Kagome asked. Inuyasha blinked.

"Why not what?" He asked.

"Why don't you like the snow?"

"Because…it's wet…and cold. And it makes everything else wet and cold. And in the beginning it's pretty to look at, sure." He shrugged. "But after a while it gets pretty monotonous and dull."

"I know exactly how you feel." Kagome said passionately. "You should see it in the city though, at least here it stays clean for longer then three minutes."

And so it continued. Instead of having the arranged lessons the two compared and contrasted their likes and dislikes of the different seasons like two old granny's complaining about their numerous aches and pains.

Knock, Knock.

Kagome and Inuyasha looked up in surprise at the noise. Well, Kagome looked up. Inuyasha looked slightly to the left at the mirror that showed him who was standing outside the study door. Inuyasha recognized the figure at the same time the Miroku stuck his head in to address Kagome.

"Kagome? Kaede told me that if I didn't remind you, you'd forget about lunch until you were hungry enough to eat us all out of house and home. So I'm here to remind you to go eat lunch now." Miroku told her sternly. Kagome looked down at her stomach in surprise. And, as if on cue, it rumbled angrily.

"I completely forgot!" She yelped. She turned to the cork panel that hid Inuyasha from her sight. "I'm sorry Inuyasha. I'll go eat lunch and then come right back up and we'll get down to the lesson, eh? I really don't know where the time went!" And with that she fled, leaving Inuyasha to face Miroku's sudden and annoying smirk alone.

Miroku strode forward in a quite confident manner and languished himself in the chair that Kagome had sat in. Yes, Miroku did not merely _sit_ in the chair. That is something for lesser beings. Miroku _languished_ himself in the unworthy seat.

Inuyasha just eyed him warily. This did not bode well…

"So…" Miroku said in a chatty voice. "What happened today between you and the fair Kagome?" He, unlike Kagome, stared straight at the flashes of shining gold that one could see through the cork. Because he, unlike Kagome, knew that those flashes of gold were none other then Inuyasha's own eyes.

"Feh. I don't know what you mean." Inuyasha snapped, even though he knew perfectly well what Miroku meant.

"Well," Miroku said. "What…activites were you and Kagome…engaged in before I came?" Miroku smirked. "I didn't _interrupt_ anything, did I?"

"Yes." Inuyasha snapped. Miroku, for a second, nearly died of shock. He couldn't have heard that right…could he have?

"…" Miroku just stared in open-mouthed shock.

"Our conversation." Inuyasha ground out.

For a second Miroku thought that he really _had_ died of shock.

"You were…having a conversation?" He asked again, just to make sure that he had heard right.

"Yes." Inuyasha growled. "Is that so hard to believe?"

Miroku gaped, nodded and then ran out of the room at full speed. He fled Inuyasha's rooms, barreled down the hallway and just as he was turning the corner barged straight into Kagome. The two of them tumbled over and over each other and, since Kagome had been standing on the top step, tumbled over and over each other on their way down the Grand Stairs. When they had reached the bottom the entangled pair remained very still for a moment while they checked their bodies for injuries. Then Kagome got her voice back.

"_Miroku_?" She gasped, not in surprise. The wind had been knocked out of her, rather. "What do you think you're _doing_? Racing around like that!"

"Did…you…have…a conversation…with…Inuyasha…?" Miroku gasped as he tried to get his breath back. Kagome eyed him suspiciously.

"Yes…" She said slowly. Miroku stared at her.

"Really?" He asked. "A perfectly civil conversation?"

"Yes…" Kagome said.

"You're absolutely sure? What was it about?"

"Yes, I'm absolutely sure. And we talked about the weather."

Miroku froze in shock. Kagome frowned.

"Miroku?" She asked, he gave no sign of having heard her. "Is something wrong? Miroku?" Again he was unresponsive. "Hello, Miroku?" Kagome said, waving a hand in front of Miroku's face. Nothing.

Suddenly Miroku took a big gasp, leapt to his feet and ran off with cries of 'HELP! MURDER! POLICE! SANGO! POLICE! KAEDE! POLICE! KOGA! KANNA! ANYBODY, PLEASE HELP ME!'

Kagome, who had long ago decided that lunch took precedence over such foolish and unreliable things as absolute insanity, shrugged and continued on her way to get food in the kitchens.

Inuyasha watched from his window in amusement as Miroku tried to explain the source of his disquiet to a very confused yet still quite stoic Kanna, while both of them were freezing their toes off in the snow. But at least Kanna was wearing the appropriate clothes.

"You have to believe me Kanna!" Miroku was saying. "They were having a conversation! A civil one! About the _weather!_ Inuyasha and Kagome! And they haven't even known each other for five years! An actual _conversation_!"

"Are you sure you haven't been drinking from Koga's private stash again?" Kanna asked in her expressionless way. "You know that Inuyasha never has a conversation with anyone that he hasn't known for at least five years. He just doesn't trust anyone." Kanna turned away. "And for good reason." She added.

"Huh? You don't like Kagome?" Miroku asked. Kanna shook her head.

"No." She said. "I like Kagome. I was referring to what happened last time."

Ah. _Last time_.

The thought of Last Time sobered Miroku up immediately and he began to trudge his way back to the mansion.

Last Time. They never talked about what had happened Last Time. In fact they tried not to even ever think about it. Even the arrival of Kagome, whose very presence was so deeply rooted in the events of Last Time that it should have been impossible to not think about it, they had all managed to completely avoid the subject.

Well, maybe not all of them. Kanna had clearly been thinking about it. And maybe that made sense. Kanna was the most down-to-earth person in the entire _Feudal Era_, and for all of Inuyasha's airs Kanna was really the one who had been most affected by Last Time.

To everyone she seemed to have gotten over Last Time without a hitch, and many admired her for it. But still…Kagura was always worried about her little sister. And Kohaku went to extra lengths to make sure that Kanna never got upset. Maybe Kanna still had wounds, just like Inuyasha. But then, who wouldn't.

You would be hurt too if _Naraku_ was your master.

_Well, what do you think about this? Like the way I'm bringing Naraku into the story? We're starting to get under way now! Wow, I don't think that it's ever taken me so long to start with the main plot before. Chapter 13, it's high past time, huh? Well…oh…I just looked at my outline and realized that I wrote a completely different chapter then the one I was planning to write…well, that was stupid!_

_My Review Lion was so happy with her new catnip armor…let's just hope that the weird weapons guy was trustworthy!_

_Mr. X: That wasn't a weapons man, or whatever you just called him. He was a gardener. _

_Pwale: Shh! You fool! _

_Well, Review! I found those runaway candy monsters, so now if you don't review my candy monsters **as well as** my Review Lion will come after you!_

"_ROAR!"_

"_SUGAR! SUGAR! SUGAR!"_

_See, aren't they just the darndest things? _

_Sincerely_

_Pwalefriend._


	14. On Your Knees

_**A special thank you to…**_

_**ffgirlmoonie**_

_**total-manga-freak**_

_**Al**_

_**AnImE GuRl 4EvA 101**_

_**Avelyn Lauren**_

_**Mistress of Demons**_

_**Miko no Kaze**_

_**MeiunTenshi**_

_**Remenescent**_

_**sweetrosie **_

_Disclaimer:_

_Pwale: One short day in the Emerald City…_

_Jenny: No…PLEASE GODS NO!_

_Pwale: Every way that you look at this city…_

_Mr. X: Is that what I think it is?_

_Pwale: There's something exquisite you'll want to visit…_

_Al: I have never been more frightened in my life…_

_Sesshomaru: Before the day's through!_

_Lia: DIVE FOR COVER!_

_Pwale & Sesshomaru: Cancan can you do the cancan? Can you do the cancan? Cancan, cancan!_

_Lawyer #1: Hey guys, did you know-OH GOD!_

_Inuyasha: Huh? What is-MY EYES!_

_Kagome: Eh…are…they…wearing…cancan…dresses…_

_Lawyer #2: No. No they are not. It just **looks** like they are! This really just a really bad nightmare! (starts rocking in corner moaning about how no one loves him)_

_Sango: I think…Shippo's dead…_

_Pwale & Sesshomaru: L'oiseau que tu croyais surprendre_

_Battit de l'aile et s'envola-_

_L'amour est loin, tu peux l'attendre;_

_Tu ne l'attends plus- il est la._

_Tout autour de toi, vite, vite,_

_Il vient, s'en va, puis il revient-_

_Tu crois le tenir, il t'evite,_

_Tu veux l'eviter; il te tient_

_Jenny: Are they singing Carmen?_

_Mr. X: Yep._

_Koga: I am **so** glad that **thing** does not own us._

_Miroku: I'll drink to that!_

_Al: Huh? When did you two get out of the closet?_

_Koga: While everyone else was distracted with this…this…_

_Lia: Is it safe to come out yet?_

_Pwale & Sesshomaru: Car wash! Workin' at the car wash yeah. Hey hey hey hey! CAR WASH!_

**_I am forced to offer my apologies on the gross disclaimer of the previous chapter. I…I just couldn't bring myself to delete any of it!_**

_**Oh, I love writing fight scenes! **_

_**G**_

_**The Stamp Of Gold**_

_**On Your Knees**_

_By Pwalefriend_

After feasting on her simply _scrumptious_ lunch of white bread and thick cream o' broccoli soup Kagome returned to Inuyasha's quarters to start with the lessons. But when she returned she found, rather of the expected pile of books, a pile of papers instead. She sat down and picked the first one up.

"You can start with that…" Inuyasha's voice came from behind the cork wall. Kagome paused, and he took her hesitation for offense. "…Please." He said.

Kagome merely nodded and began, not aware of the historic event that had just taken place.

Yes. You read that right, dear reader. Inuyasha just said the word 'Please.' Now let me take this moment to make something very clear, Inuyasha is a rude spoiled brat. Sure, he's a clever enough rude spoiled brat. But he is most certainly a rude spoiled brat nonetheless. He may have his good points, and don't get me wrong, he certainly has his good points, but being polite and unselfish are not among them I'm afraid.

You could count on a fish's finger's the number of times Inuyasha had used the word 'please.'

And to all of you who are trying to figure that out, fish don't have fingers.

But Kagome didn't know any of this, so she just continued on like normal. And Inuyasha certainly wasn't going to point it out to her. To do so would have hurt, no, horribly mutilated his pride beyond any recognition.

Besides, he was too proud to notice anyway.

So Kagome began reading a long, nonsensical, dry, and oddly fascinating paper about the combination of Eastern magics with Western science. Kagome's favorite part about this paper though, was how it began.

_To any fool who might be foolish enough to take this nonsense seriously, do bear in mind that magic and science should never be brought together, lest you run the risk of global destruction and a very bad headache. _

Don't believe the headache part? Try finding a place for demons in the Darwin's theory of evolution. That'll give you a headache, as Kagome had learned long ago.

Kagome paused after she finished the paper.

"…Yes, well…" Inuyasha's voice came after a moment. "Carry on to the next one then…"

He tried to hide the disappointment in his voice. The whole point of this foolish charade was to get Kagome completely open to magic and at the same time teaching her some of the ropes and the rules that she would need to know. He had picked that paper especially for, though it was chock full of facts and comparisons and a lot of dull boring junk, it presented all that dull boring junk in a way that was catchy, especially when combined with the scholar's harsh wit. He was waiting for something to catch her, to light her curiosity, so that they could get on with things. Apparently it would take a lot more to awaken Kagome Higurashi's inner cat.

"…About this paper." Kagome said slowly. "I have…a couple questions."

'_Oops…' _Inuyasha thought. _'Spoke too soon.'_

Well, he figured, at least he'd have a little bit of fun watching her dance around the issue and trying not to sound foolish whilst she only sounded like an idiot.

"Do you not take this guy seriously? Please tell me that you are not trying to combine magic and science."

'_Huh?'_ Inuyasha thought. So Inuyasha, being a man who spoke his mind, spoke his mind.

"What the hell do you think you're blabbering about wench?" Inuyasha snapped.

All right, so maybe it wasn't _exactly_ word for word, but it was still the same basic _gist_! And you know what they say; it's the _thought_ that counts. Am I right? I'm right.

"You know what," Kagome snapped back, for she was in no mood to suffer ill treatment. "I think you just might be stupid enough to do it too, Inuyasha!"

"I could fire you, bitch! So watch your tongue!" Inuyasha snarled back.

"Oh sure, you _could_!" Kagome yelled. "But then you'd have to live with the guilt of basically _murdering_ four innocent people, who are still suffering from the loss of a family member, all because you abused their daughter. Can you live with that on your shoulder, man?"

Inuyasha was too shocked to snap back. Where the hell had that come from? Kagome took his silence as guilt.

"I thought not." She said snootily. Now, _that_ tone of voice snapped Inuyasha out of it, sure enough.

"Oh, I most certainly _COULD!_" Inuyasha roared, getting to his feet now, even though that had no effect, considering Kagome couldn't even see him.

"So, I've been employed by a murderer!" Kagome screamed, also getting to her feet. This had more of an effect, since Inuyasha could see her. "A _murderer_! I for one am ashamed to know you, Inuyasha! ASHAMED TO KNOW YOU, YOU HEAR ME!"

"I HEAR YOU JUST FINE BITCH!" Inuyasha bellowed with all the rage and fire he could muster in his core. Those words…he had heard them before…

"WELL THEN HEAR THIS!" She shrieked, matching him temper for temper. "YOU ARE AN ASS! A WORTHLESS ASS! A WORTHELESS _MUTT_! I. AM. LEAVING. RIGHT. NOW!"

"YOU CAN'T LEAVE, BITCH!" Inuyasha howled. "YOU HAVE TO GOVERN THE BRATS AND KEEP THEM OUT OF MY HAIR! BESIDES, _KOGA_ WOULD BE _UPSET _IF YOU _LEFT_, NOW WOULDN'T HE! AND WE WOULDN'T WANT _THAT_ NOW WOULD WE! THE POOR _BOY_ MIGHT_ CRY_, NOW MIGHTN'T HE!"

Kagome, whose hand had been on the door handle, turned around glared heatedly at the two fiery flecks of gold that she could see through the cork.

"_A dog should behave as such._" She hissed. _"On your knees. SIT BOY!"_

She left the room so fast that she didn't feel the huge CRASH that shook the room, and she was so upset that she didn't hear the scream and the howl of injustice that shook the very foundations of the land.

Kaede, who was sitting in her bed, looked up at the ceiling as dust particles began to loosen and shake down. Out in the stables she could hear the horses start to whinny in alarm at the ear-splitting screech that filled the very air.

"Oh dear me." She said. "I was wondering where that rosary had got to."

"…Lady Kaede?" Miroku hesitantly. "I think it might be a good idea to get everyone outside now…do you think you can walk?"

"Well, I'll have to, won't I, child?" Kaede said kindly, slowly getting up and nobly ignoring the pain it caused. "And me thinks that it might be a good idea to call for Myoga as well."

Sango was in the door suddenly, clutching a fuming and oblivious Kagome by the arm. The maid's eyes were desperate.

"Almost everyone else is already out!" She yelled. "We need to leave _now_!"

Another scream of fury struck fear in their hearts…except for Kagome's heart, because at that point she was just really pissed off.

"Oh dear…" Kaede said as they hurried out. "I like not the looks of this."

_**G**_

_Yay! I'm on fire! A chapter on Tuesday, a chapter today, and a controversial one-shot yesterday! My muses must have forgiven for writing that one-shot, or maybe they're trying to atone for the horror of that one-shot with the muse gods! Whatever it is, you people better say thank you to the muses._

_And, I got my first two flames! I liked the second one, the first one just said that person was going to kill me. The second one actually stated a valid opinion, and one that actually had a very good point. I think I kinda like flames…as long as they leave a way for me to reply, so that I can defend my point. _

_Well, my Review Lion is out of commission due to those flames, she's having a bad case of identity crisis right now, and my candy monster's are preoccupied with trying to cheer her up, but don't think that let's you off the hook. _

_The poor needs lots of reviews before she'll be up to work again. So if you can't review for the next update, and me, review for the lion. Please. Make a contribution. _

_Sincerely_

_Pwalefriend_


	15. Inferno

_**A special thank you to…**_

_**MeiunTenshi**_

_**Smiley Gurl 87**_

_**Supreme Admiral of the Web**_

_**xKillingPerfection**_

_**Boylessgirl52941**_

_**Katsheswims**_

_**Clouds of the Sky**_

_**BlackMamba07**_

_**ffgirlmoonie**_

_**Remenescent**_

_**StoryLover226**_

_**Avelyn Lauren**_

_**Miko no Kaze**_

_**AznxAngel**_

_**sweetrosie**_

_**Newbie GK**_

_Disclaimer:_

_Pwale: Sniff. Do you guys hate me?_

_Jenny: Just a little bit._

_Pwale: Oh…okay then!_

_Jenny: We hate Sesshomaru a lot more!_

_Sesshomaru: …Do you think I care?_

_Mr. X: We expected that kind of behavior from Pwale, but from **you**, Sesshomaru!_

_Al: …wait…how are we working a disclaimer into this?_

_Lia: CUT! I don't know…what does the script say?_

_Al: I can't find it in here!_

_Pwale: What? I was sure I wrote it!_

_Mr. X: Maybe it was on that page that wouldn't print?_

_Pwale smacks her forehead._

_Pwale: Anyone got something to write with?_

_Inuyasha: Here you go… (hands Pwale a magic marker)_

_Pwale (as she writes): …we…don't…own…these…characters…_

_Sesshomaru: …Do you realize that you forgot to turn of this magic recording box thing?_

_Al: Huh?_

_Pwale: NOO! THEY HEARD **EVERYTHING**!_

__

__

_**The Stamp of Gold**_

_**Inferno**_

_By Pwalefriend_

_**G**_

The mansion's residents weren't the only ones staring in open-mouthed horror as Inuyasha's quarters began to billow smoke and spit flame. The Elementals were just as shocked by their master and friend's behavior as the next person. But they were also rather offended.

There were _books_ in those rooms! _Books_! Books and learning were a part of the Earth, a part of _them_! Didn't _anybody_ realize that?

"NO, YOU IDIOT!" Kagome screamed up at Inuyasha's quarters. "THERE ARE BOOKS IN THERE, WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU!"

"Kagome!" Sango and Koga screamed, dashing forward to grab her and drag her back to the safety of the forest.

"Let go of me!" She growled. "Someone's got to go up there and snap some sense into him before he burns the whole place down!"

"You're the one who's not making sense!" Sango growled back, her fear making her edgy. "If you go up there you'll die right along with those books!"

"Well, won't Inuyasha as well!" Kagome asked angrily. That shut Sango up and Koga sent her a look that said 'oh-well-said-genius-now-look-what-you've-done'.

"Um…Inuyasha's…a little weird that way…" Sango said slowly. She was all too aware that she was digging her own grave.

"Weird _what_ way?" Kagome asked suspiciously.

"She means that nobody cares." Koga said hurriedly. Kagome snapped her glare on him.

"_I_ care!" She said. "I just accused him of being a murderer, I can't _become_ one by _letting_ him die now, can I?"

"YOU SAID _WHAT!"_ Miroku bellowed, looking horrified. Kagome blinked. Miroku looked back up at the now flame-engulfed side of the mansion. "We're dead." He said in a very cheerful voice. "We are so incredibly dead that I don't have words to describe how incredibly dead we are."

"You don't mean…" Sango gasped, letting go of Kagome and grasping Miroku's hand. "Miroku, you can't be saying that…"

Miroku looked at Sango, his eyes radiating sincerity and slight fear.

"I'm afraid so, my dear." He said in a deep voice.

Kagome and Koga were watching them cautiously, as if the two had suddenly become rabid carnivorous animals.

"Oh Miroku, I don't want to _die_!" Sango cried, falling into Miroku's arms. Miroku hugged her, and…did not grope her.

"I'll do my best to protect you Sango!" Miroku vowed.

"Um…what's wrong with them?" Kohaku asked slowly. Everyone had stopped watching the fire and were now watching Miroku and Sango act like idiots.

"I think maybe the smoke's getting to them…" One servant said.

"Well whatever it is, they'll thank me when they wake up." Koga said gruffly, before picking up a big stick and knocking the simpering duo out cold.

"Koga!" Kagome gasped, shocked. Koga looked at her innocently.

"What?" He asked. "They were about to _elope_, you saw them!" The surrounding servants all nodded.

"He's got a point." One said.

"You can't deny it…" Added another.

Kagome, seeing she was outnumbered, decided to let it slide. After all, if Kohaku wasn't upset then neither was she.

But still…something was bothering her…what was it…

"IS ANYONE GOING TO HELP ME!" Kanna, who was usually silent, screamed in fury. Everyone turned and saw the young Horse Mistress heading towards them, leading two young foals by the reins. "THE WIND'S CHANGED DIRECTION!" Kanna bellowed. "HALF OF YOU GO TRY AND PUT THAT FIRE OUT! THE OTHER HALF GET THE HORSES OUT OF THEIR STABLES!"

Kagome and half the servants surged towards the mansion, while Koga and Kanna led the other half to the stables to get the panicking equines out of the way of danger.

"GRAB THE BUCKETS FROM THE WELL!" Kagome yelled, immediately taking charge. "GET THE WET LAUNDRY! HIT THE FLAMES WITH THEM, STAMP THE FIRE OUT! WE CAN'T LET THE FIRE GET TO THE GRASS, IF EVEN ONE BLADE LIGHTS THEN IT'LL ALL CATCH AND WE'RE ALL GOING UP IN SMOKE! NOW _GET TO IT!"_ Kagome was a strong woman, and she wasn't in the mood to die that day.

"GOT IT BOSS!" Said the collective servants in unison, looks of determination on their faces as they rolled up their sleeves.

"Inuyasha…what's wrong with you?" Kagome whispered to herself as she dumped bucket upon bucket on the wall. The fire was coming closer and closer, eating up half the house. "Why aren't you out of there yet?"

Kagome noticed something odd.

"Why isn't the _other_ half of the building catching fire?" She wondered aloud. A scream of pain as someone burned themselves interrupted her and she shrugged it off, there simply wasn't any _time_ to wonder about stuff like that!

_**G**_

Inuyasha wasn't still inside because he _wanted_ to be, after he had snapped out of his mindless rage and seen the fire licking at all the walls surrounding him he had wanted nothing more then to get out of the mansion and kiss the good sweet Earth in gratitude. It's just…when you're panicking in a burning hallway everything looks the _same_. Inuyasha couldn't figure out where he was, let alone how to get out.

"Note to self…" He gasped as he ran desperately, crashing through fiery walls of death, to put it cheerily. "…next time…make the _whole_ mansion fireproof…!"

Inuyasha ran through one wall and had enough time to see that he had just leapt clear from the building before he went tumbling down to meet the good sweet Earth. If Inuyasha hadn't been knocked unconscious by this fall he probably wouldn't have kissed the good sweet Earth, even though that was what he had been meaning to do in the first place.

A now-conscious (and very confused) Miroku was the one who found him. Sadly, being unconscious had knocked something loose in Miroku's head, and when Miroku found his 'sleeping' master, his immediate reaction was to panic for fear that Kagome would see Inuyasha and Inuyasha would get mad and do something drastic.

Miroku wasn't quite 'all there', if you know what I mean. He hadn't really noticed the fire.

So Miroku, being the half-dead really stupid man that he was at the time, dragged Inuyasha to the Dry Well in the Forest and dumped him in to hide him from Kagome. _Then_ Miroku fell unconscious once more, due to oxygen loss. Yes, he had been so disoriented that he had forgotten to breathe.

_**G**_

"Wait…" Kagome suddenly froze. "When we wave the laundry…" Kagome swore. "EVERYONE, STOP BEATING THE FLAMES WITH THE CLOTH!"

Kanna spared a glance in their general direction, before rolling her eyes.

"She just figured out that they were feeding the fire oxygen?" Kanna questioned aloud. "Sometimes I seriously wonder if I'm the only sane one here…"

"Kanna!" Koga complained. "The horses won't come with me!" Kanna looked over to where her fellow employee was having trouble with tow of her equine charges. At the sight that met her eyes Kanna's glance became a glare.

"_That's because you're leading them **towards** the fire!"_ She hissed angrily. "ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL MY DARLINGS!" Kanna screamed.

Koga lifted up his hands and backed away from her. It was meant to be a placating gesture…however in the process he let go of the reins and the horses bolted.

Moreover Koga had, unknown to Kanna, been leading the alpha stallion of the herd, so when he bolted…everyone else went with him.

To put it mildly…there were a lot of trampled servants that day. It made chariot-racing look like a riding show.

_**G**_

_Well, how did everyone like that? I must say, it was odd to write. About half way through I had to go back and delete everything because I realized it wasn't where I wanted to go…and I'm still not so sure. I've been writing a lot of Latin translations and Math papers, so my flow is a little off. But this was the best I could manage before I get back to being more balanced. I don't know…what do you guys think?_

_My Review Lion is back in commission, thanks to all the review, so don't you people be thinking that you can get off the hook! She's back and she's feeling better then ever!_

_**ROAR!**_

_See what I mean?_

_Well, I hope to post the next chapter soon!_

_Sincerely_

_Pwalefriend_


	16. Memorization

_**An astounded, honored and sleepy ode of gratitude to …**_

_**MeiunTenshi**_

_**Avelyn Lauren**_

_**Esk42**_

_**PalePanther**_

_**Sweetrosie**_

_**Smiley Gurl 87**_

_**Hearii-sama**_

_**Clouds of the Sky**_

_**ffgirlmoonie**_

_**Mistress of Demons**_

_**Goddess of the Moonlit Sky**_

_**Miko no Kaze**_

_**Moccha**_

_**Punk Rock Miko2**_

_**Remenescent**_

_**Quebecca**_

_**Boylessgirl52941**_

_**TouchofPixieDust**_

_**SandPaper**_

**_Al: No, fish do not have fingers. Having bones that only become fingers due to genetic malfunctions and radioactivity does not qualify at having fingers. That is the rule. The cases where this does not apply are the exceptions. If you argue with me about that I will be forced to mooch off you and you alone for the rest of the year!_**

**_Forgive me, we had MCASS this week, I'm too tired to write an ode, but it's there in spirit, and it's the thought that counts!_**

_Disclaimer:_

_Jenny: Hey! I get to start it this time!_

_Lawyer #1: …_

_Jenny: Anyway…I'm here with Lawyer #1 and Lawyer #2, and today we're going to learn a little more about these two. So tell me gentlemen, how did you first get into the business of hounding of that evil person we all know to be Pwalefriend?_

_Lawyer #1: Well…we never did get along well with HQ…_

_Lawyer #2: After she single handedly defeated a whole herd of our fellows, they gave the case to us…we thought that it would be our big break, you know…_

_Lawyer #1: But…it was…in the end…just a way to get rid of us…sniff…_

_Lawyer #2: You know, what makes it worse…they won't even recognize any progress we make…_

_Lawyer #1: It's just so **hard** you know? Sniff…_

_Lawyer #2 (now bawling): All we want is for Pwale to admit that she doesn't own the character's on a regular basis, is that so selfish a request?_

_Jenny: You heard it here folks! Now go ahead, enjoy the chapter. _

_Pwale: I'm going to a co-on! I'm going to a co-on!_

_Lia & Al: SHUT UP!_

_**The Stamp Of Gold**_

_**Memorization**_

_By Pwalefriend_

It was finally over. The stress, the yelling, the rushing, the panic and, last but not least, the fire. It hadn't taken that long to stop the fire actually, seeing as how only one half of the mansion seemed burnable, but it took a long time for people to realize that they had stopped the fire. And _then_ there was the fact that no one really wanted to go in quite yet, seeing as how the Entry Way and the Main Door had been in the part of the house that had been damaged in the fire. The fire, though it hadn't been that bad as fires go, hadn't really left anyone feeling to confident in the mansion's stability, if you catch my drift.

No? Well, to put it bluntly, the person who wanted to enter the mansion at that time would have been thought about as suicidal as someone who wanted to go into a never before entered pyramid without a map. And do you know how many traps the Egyptians put _into_ those things!

So no one was going inside that day, which left Kagome, Koga and Sango with the jobs of finding somewhere to stay for the night. It just so happened that day that the train broke down in town, so no one could go for help unless they took the horses. And Kanna's nerves had been so frazzled by the fire and the stampede that she wasn't letting one horse out of her sight, and the Life help anyone who tried to take them from her. Or if Life didn't do the trick, Medical Assistance might have been required.

So it was a long time before the fire was all the way out, the horses were all calmed down, Sango woke up, the accommodations were set and the food for everyone was ready. They were still a working estate, after all. They had to keep on the move, no time for rest. And _then_ after everything was complete, _then_ they realized that Miroku and Inuyasha were missing.

No one was that pleased with Inuyasha though, seeing as how he was the one who had, in his rage, started the whole fire in the first place. And if Miroku wanted to go and disappear with the master, well, no one was going to stop him. They had more important things to worry about.

They had more important things to worry about the next day as well. Such as cleaning. And hunting. And scrounging. And laundry. And had anyone seen Ms. Yamazaki's photograph of her late husband? And Mr. Honda was missing a picture that his daughter had drawn for him. If anyone saw Mrs. Lee's stationary set among the rubble, would they mind giving it to her? It had been pretty expensive and she didn't really want to lose it.

It looked like it was going to be a long day.

When Kagome stepped out of the large tent she had been sleeping the night in, along with about twenty other women, the first sight that met her eyes was the mansion. And a curious sight it was.

Kagome had realized yesterday that half the mansion, for some reason, wasn't burning, but she hadn't realized the full extent of this until now.

The left half of the mansion was black and charred and not very stable looking, though for some reason it wasn't dropping random wooden chunks and things onto people's heads. It looked as if it was being held up by magic. The other half looked as pretty and hard-wood-y as ever (the mansion had been built from some wood. Kagome may have been educated but she couldn't tell you what the kind of wood a piece was without someone telling her first). Why hadn't it burned? It looked just as susceptible to flame as the other half did…had…the other half looked more susceptible to a _butterfly_ right about now.

"Sango?" Kagome asked her friend. "Why didn't the other half burn too?" Sango shrugged.

"Inuyasha paid his old acquaintance Myoga to make that half fire proof a long time ago." Sango explained.

'_Fire proof?'_ Kagome thought. _'How'd he do that?'_ But that wasn't the issue.

"Why only that half?" Kagome asked.

"That's the half where most of the servants live, and the half with the kitchen." Sango said. "There was more of a fire hazard, and a bigger mortality rate if that half burned down."

"So he wasn't just being cheap?" Kagome asked in exasperation. _'I wouldn't put it past him.'_ She thought. Sango looked confused though.

"Of course not." Sango said. "Myoga offered to do it for nothing at all, but Inuyasha insisted on paying him for his effort. The only reason that Inuyasha only made half of it fire proof is that it is a lot of hassle for Myoga, and not good for his health. Inuyasha said he'd get the other half done sooner or later, but I guess he never got around to it."

"Miss Sango, have you seen any brooms?" A servant called.

"Yes, I think I saw one over here!" Sango said, hurrying off in search of some brooms with several servants at her heels. Kagome was left alone to her thoughts.

'_If that's the way it is…then he can't be all bad.'_ She thought, staring up at the house. _'Perhaps I've misjudged him…'_

"I'll apologize when I next encounter him." Kagome decided. She couldn't exactly say 'when I see him' for she hadn't ever actually _seen_ him before. It was getting to be a nuisance for her. Why wouldn't he let her see him?

"Maybe he's horribly disfigured, and hides his face from everyone because he's so ashamed." Kagome giggled to herself as she swept out the rubble later that day. "Though I can't imagine him ever being ashamed of anyone. He really strikes me as the flamboyant type. But maybe he has the head of a wolf, and with a bright orange snout." Kagome giggled at the image. "Or maybe he's so desperately handsome that everyone who sees his face falls madly in love with him, and he fears affection because when he was young he had a horrible aunt who mistreated him and made him believe that he was worthless. And then Lord Sesshomaru, his long-lost rich brother, came to rescue him." This was even more ridiculous then the other theories and at the images it implied Kagome fell over laughing. When her mirth subsided she put her hand down to push herself up…and slipped.

Kagome looked at what her hand had touched. It was an old black and white photograph with a familiar looking woman smiling happily at the camera.

"What's this?" Kagome wondered, picking it up.

Wait…she knew this woman…where had she seen this face before…

"Oh!" Kagome exclaimed. "It's the lady from the carriage, the strange one that I met in my first visit to the town!"

Turning it over Kagome saw a little inscription on the back.

_Kikyo_ it said.

"Kikyo…" Kagome whispered. "Is that her name?"

A sudden racket drew her attention to the rest of the servants who were crowding around something that was moving.

"What's going on now?" Kagome wondered.

"Kagome!" Shouted Kohaku, running to her. Kagome turned to him, hiding the photograph in the pocket of her apron. She wasn't ready to show anyone her find, for some reason that she couldn't identify. But she couldn't shake the thought that if she did show anyone it would only mean trouble.

"Kohaku," Kagome said. "What is it? What's going on?"

"They found Inuyasha and Miroku in the forest!" Kohaku exclaimed. "Miroku's going to be fine, but Inuyasha's got some bad burns and a lot of broken bones. They're saying that it looks like he jumped from the second story!"

"What!" Kagome gasped, whisking around and trying to peer over everyone else to get a glimpse of her employer. Before they had fought he had been quite a pleasant person to talk to, and Kagome really wanted to get to know him better, even if she was angry with him and his tantrum. "But that's madness! Surely he wouldn't do that!"

"I don't know Kagome…" Kohaku said slowly. "If I was in a burning building, I think that I'd try to get out as quick as possible too."

Kagome, though she was loath to do so, was forced to agree. Now if only she could see Inuyasha!

But no matter how high she stood, Kagome couldn't see him. The only glimpse that she caught of him was as they brought the makeshift stretcher that they were carrying him on into the private tent.

And all she saw was a glimpse of silver and gold.

_**G**_

_I would like to take this moment to say that Miyazaki rocks. Dianna Wynne-Jones rocks. And Howl's Moving Castle rocks my socks right out of my sock drawer! _

_Well…it would if I had a sock drawer…or if I even had socks…but socks hate me! I get them and then they run away from me! I don't know why!_

_Roar!_

_See, Review Lion wants you all to review as well as you did for this chapter, she was so happy!_

_So please review!_

_Wait…do I have…over...200 reviews? _

_No! _

_Surely is mean! They're lying to me! I can't have that many reviews…right?_

_Are they giving me false hope?_

_Only one way to find out, Review!_

_Roar!_

_Yes, I know that didn't make any sense._

_**Roar**!_

_Huh, oh sorry._

_Roar. _

_Sincerely_

_Pwalefriend_


	17. This Old Man

_**A special thanks to… **_

_**Remenescent**_

_**bdrake07**_

_**chipmunK15**_

_**Mistress of Demons**_

_**Goddess of the Moonlit Sky**_

_**MeiunTenshi**_

_**sweetrosie **_

_**Clouds of the Sky**_

_**Punk Rock Miko2**_

_**ffgirlmoonie **_

_**Pegalia Von Borrador**_

_**Boylessgirl52941**_

_**A.JeanetteJ.**_

_Disclaimer:_

_Pwale: …_

_Lia: …_

_Mr. X: Hey guys! Um…what're you doing?_

_Pwale & Lia: Shhh!_

_Al: Oh come on, you're over-reacting!_

_Pwale: Shut up! You'll wake it up!_

_Lia: I'll come after us next!_

_Al: It's a **stuffed** penguin! It's name is Peachy and it's not going to come after you!_

_Mr. X: Hey, what does this button do?_

_Al: No! Don't touch it!_

_Mr. X: Hey! It's pushable! (Pushes button)_

_Peachy: …Gwarh…_

_Lia: AHHH!_

_Pwale: IT'S ALIVE!_

_Peachy: …we…do…not…own…characters…GWARHH!_

_Pwale: …he come to life to saw that?_

_Peachy: (hands Pwale a digital camera)_

_Lia: What's that for?_

_Pwale: Probably for the con._

_Everyone: What con?_

_Pwale: Oh yeah! Well, despite the…obstacles, I'm going to Anime Boston this weekend and I won't be able to update, so I updated today. That's why the chapter's so short._

_Jenny: Oh, is **that** why?_

_Pwale: Yeah, I had to update, otherwise the readers would hang us._

_Everyone: That would hang us all, every mother's son._

_Pwale: …Have you been reading my English homework again?_

_Everyone: …_

_**G**_

_**The Stamp Of Gold**_

_**This Old Man**_

_By Pwalefriend_

_**G**_

Kagome stood back, looking at the finished product. It had taken them a week, and they had worked from the outside in, which had meant that they were always having to re-sweep and mop, but the mansion was finally livable…in…one side. No one really wanted to go in the other side yet. It probably had to do with the fact that to clean up they had realized that some of the floors had to be taken out. They really had no idea how they were going to fix that side, and there was some talk about asking a demon to guard it so that no one could get in.

"Why would you want something like that?" Kagome had asked a group of servants when she first heard them talking about it. They had given her odd looks.

"So that when we're old and gray we can send our grandchildren on a quest to reclaim the mansion and we'll get some amusement before we die." They had answered.

As much as Kagome knew that this was wrong and probably would only end in tears she had to admit…it sounded like a pretty good idea. One of the setbacks though was that they would have to build an extension in that case because there were too many of them. The mansion was like a community (and most of the employees either knew to much or could deal some nasty curses) so firing anyone was out of the question. Kagome, Sango and Miroku had discussed it and realized that they just didn't have the resources. Koga and Kanna had flat out refused to take any part in an extension.

"I remember this place before the mansion was built." Koga had said. "I don't want to lose any more land just because the servants want to play a little game."

"That's good running land you'd be building it on." Was all that Kanna would say on the matter. Everyone assumed that she was referring to the horses.

Inuyasha simply didn't understand.

"Extension?" He had asked when Miroku had brought it up to him one afternoon. Inuyasha had been badly damaged in the fire and even after a couple days he was still confined to his tent. Orders from Kaede, who had been wheeled in to see him in her brand new wheel chair (which had been found abandoned at the train station very conveniently, courtesy of the Elementals).

"Why would we need an extension?" Asked Inuyasha. Miroku sighed and gave it up then, he really didn't want to explain.

"I don't know." He said with a shrug. "It was just a thought."

But now it was done…it was complete…until they started to fix it again but _that_ could wait until the Lord and Lady returned home with the children and they were able to access the bank account again. Apparently Lord Sesshomaru hadn't trusted his younger brother, Lord Inuyasha, with the finances and none of their economic resources could be used at them moment. And it wasn't as if the situation was unbearable. It would be quite alright, if a little cramped when it came to sleeping space.

"Mr. Myoga! Mr. Myoga!" Some servant children shouted, running past Kagome. Kagome turned away from her examination of the cleaned mansion and watched them run by her. She looked up in the direction they were running in and saw a rickety cart coming down the hill towards the mansion. One of the towns men, Kagome recognized him as the carpenter who had shown up to fix one of the horses' stall a few weeks ago, was driving what, at first glance, appeared to be a medium sized potato sack. But when the potato sack nimbly leapt from the wagon and threw out it's arms to embrace the children Kagome came to the startling realization that it was not a potato sack but was instead an old man. His hair was white as the moon and he wore it in the _old_ style, like a cat. As the group came level to Kagome, she saw that he had a kind face and twinkling benevolent eyes.

"Huh? Mr. Myoga?" Sango muttered, coming up behind Kagome. "What's he doing here?"

But Kagome paid her no mind. Something that Myoga had just said caught her attention.

"Now, where is that idiot nephew of mine? The one with the dust for brains?"

Kagome smirked. There was only one man who this Mr. Myoga could be referring. Well, actually there were three but neither of them had an uncle, and that was something that Kagome knew for a fact. That left Inuyasha.

Kagome had a feeling that she was going to like this man.

_**G**_

_Well, what do you think? Sorry again that it's so short!_

_Now it's like my hair!_

_Sorry, I cut my hair today. I'm very happy about it. _

_Oh, if you like Howl's Moving Castle then please read my new story Castle Of The Hunt! Pretty please!_

…_ROAR!..._

_Yay! See, my Review Lion came to check up on you guys before she heads over to COTH to check up on the events there! She's a very busy Lion, so you'd best review, otherwise she'll have to come and she'll be **very **grumpy!_

_Sincerely_

_Pwalefriend_


	18. Tea Time

_**A special thank you to…**_

_**chipmunK15**_

_**Punk Rock Miko2**_

_**Smiley Gurl 87**_

_**sweetrosie**_

_**Clouds of the Sky**_

_**Moonlit Showers aka InuKag Fan**_

_**Boylessgirl52941**_

_**bdrakeo7**_

_**Avelyn Lauren**_

_**chiclet180**_

_**MeiunTenshi**_

_**Goddess of the Moonlit**_

_**ffgirlmoonie **_

_**Al**_

_**xxx **_

_**thetricksterqueen **_

_**singerme5791**_

_**AznxAngel**_

_**x.bloodstained.x**_

_Disclaimer: _

_Mr. X: …sigh…I'm exhausted…_

_Pwale: …I know…what you mean…all of this moving…between stories is…is…is…_

_Al: …Going to kill us?_

_Pwale: …I think so…_

_Lawyer #1: We don't own the characters…_

_Readers: What? No weird script?_

_Everyone: Too…tired…_

_Lia: Hey! **We** should get a moving castle, that way we wouldn't have to keep going from story to story!_

_Pwale: I don't know…_

_Sesshomaru: Let's look into other forms of transportation! Heh heh…heh…heh…_

_Pwale: Why are you laughing nervously?_

_Calcifer: Fire demons aren't the only type who can be used to move castles._

_Pwale: …**Ooohhh**…_

_By the way, some of you might have noticed a subtle change in my pen name for a few days. I was just trying it out, but I decided that I liked my original version better. Sorry if that caused any confusion. _

**_New Note on Time And Location: Right, I was once again asked about the time period. I answered, consider this story to take place around the early suffragette movement. I confess, I am horrible with dates. They just won't stick. So I'm afraid I can't give you an exact year. I can, on the other hand, give you clues. This is more of a culture, then an era. I'm not sure if that makes any sense, but I think it does. As for location, I have decided. Consider this land that they're in purely fictional. _**

_**G**_

_**The Stamp Of Gold**_

_**Tea Time**_

_By Pwalefriend _

_**G**_

"I'll never know how you manage to get yourself into these messes, Inuyasha." Myoga snapped as he bustled around the tent. It was about the size of a room and was so lavish that it rather resembled the tent of a silk merchant from the bazaars to the south. Myoga had a feeling that no one had let Kaede or Sango in yet. Those two women would have had Inuyasha's head if they found out that he was healing in such richness when they were so hard put to find space for people, some of who were far worse off then he.

"What do you mean, old man?" Inuyasha asked softly, not looking at Myoga. He was lying in a plush bed with his head turned away, wallowing in self-pity. "Do you think I wanted this? Do you think that I wanted this…this _temper_?" Inuyasha spat out the word _temper_ as if it were something foul.

Myoga rolled his eyes.

"You _did_ ask for it." He reminded Inuyasha.

"Yes, but I didn't know then the horrors I would have to endure night after night." Inuyasha said.

Myoga rolled his eyes again. His nephew never had been one to make much sense. He preferred to let others guess what was bothering him as he sidled around and complained in low voices before something lit the fuse of his temper and he blew up.

Though Myoga had to admit, this had been the worse temper tantrum that Inuyasha had ever thrown. Which was why he was here.

"What are you doing here anyway old man?" Inuyasha asked.

"I'm here to give you this. Drink." Myoga commanded, shoving a warm mug of tea into Inuyasha's hands. Inuyasha took a sip without so much as a second thought, and then immediately spat it out. It was putrid.

"What the hell _is_ this!" Inuyasha demanded furiously.

"Don't take that tone of voice with me young man!" Myoga snapped. "It's to help your temper. Without this tea you'll end up pulling some stupid stunt like this again!"

"_I will not_!" Inuyasha yelled, now angry. Everyone only thought of him as some fool, someone who had no control over his own actions. But he _did _have control! He'd show them!

"Yes, you will." Myoga said. "Now drink." And with that Myoga left the tent, knowing perfectly well that Inuyasha would not drink the tea, not yet anyway.

_**G**_

It was night when Inuyasha dared venture from the tent. The darkness had swept through the camp and though some people had moved back into the mansion most of them were still outside. Especially the injured. Kaede could only get to so many and even with all of her helpers some of those who had been wounded in the fire were still not in good enough condition to move back into the dusty mansion.

These were the ones that Inuyasha visited first.

He crept in silently and looked down at them. He had known many of these people for years and years, and they had always followed him loyally. Even now that their lives were endangered due to his _stupidity_ they still followed him. How could they? He didn't understand it. He never had been able to.

Next he went to his friends.

Sango and Miroku were talking to each other across a fire; neither of them noticed his presence. Kohaku was asleep in Sango's lap, his face was lax and so incredibly peaceful.

In the darkness, moved away from the fire but close enough to still have some light Koga and Kanna were immersed in a game of chess.

"Ha!" Kanna cried happily. "I beat you!"

"I demand a rematch!" Koga said, just as happily. They were having _fun_.

Inuyasha turned his eyes away, hoping to relieve himself from the pain that this sight brought to his heart for some reason. But instead he found a sight that brought him only more pain.

A few yards away, half hidden in darkness, lay Kagome. A blanket was at her side and a charred book was lying on the ground where it had fallen from her hand. Her head was turned to the side and her face was sad. Inuyasha was confused.

When she was awake Kagome's face was a mixture of so many things, anger, happiness, delight and fury, but sadness was never one of them. So why was she sad in her sleep?

He didn't know why he did it. He really didn't. Maybe it was the realization that even Kagome had hidden sorrows that she didn't share with anyone. Maybe it was just his conscience.

Being careful so that no one saw him Inuyasha knelt next to Kagome, carefully hidden in the darkness. He very softly pulled the blanket up to surround her, to keep her warm through the night. He smiled softly and brushed a little bit of her hair from her face.

'_She's such a nice girl.' _He thought. _'She doesn't deserve any of this, not really.'_

And with that final thought he went and returned to his tent. There he drank the tea, just like Myoga had known he would.

See? Inuyasha could control his own actions.

He really could.

_**G**_

_Well, there you have it. The latest chapter. Was it too short? I tried, I really did, but I couldn't get it to blend into the next part of the story. I'm sorry. But well done on the reviews for the last chapter! I hope that you do just as well here!_

_Roar._

_Sigh._

_**Roar**._

_Yes, yes I know, I know. _

_My Review Lion (and everyone else) is a little annoyed with me right now. Long story. _

_But she's in a bad mood, so you'd better review!_

_Sincerely_

_Pwalefriend_


	19. Horses Of Horror

_**A special thank you to…**_

_**The Lonely Bird**_

_**TouchofPixieDust**_

_**Avelyn Lauren**_

_**bdrake07**_

_**sweetrosie **_

_**Remenescent**_

_**Mistress of Demons**_

_**Punk Rock Miko2**_

_**chiclet180**_

_**Smiley Gurl 87**_

_**Clouds of the Sky**_

_**Moccha**_

_**ffgirlmoonie**_

_**MeiunTenshi**_

_**Hearii-sama**_

_**Goddess of the Moonlit it wouldn't let me do that any other way)**_

_**Tinuviel's Song**_

_**AznxAngel**_

_Disclaimer: _

_Pwale: L is for the way you look at me…_

_Al: Not again._

_Pwale: O is for the only one I see…_

_Lia: Somebody stop her!_

_Pwale: V is very, very extraordinary…_

_Sesshomaru: Don't look at me._

_Pwale: E is even more then anyone that you adore can…_

_Mr. X: Why? WHY!_

_Pwale: Love is all that I can give to you…_

_Review Lion: ROAR! (leaps and smothers Pwale)_

_Everyone: HIP HIP HURRAH! HIP HIP HURRAH!_

_Somewhere else in the castle…_

_Lawyer #1: Hey, I wonder what this thing does…(pulls lever)_

_Recording starts…_

_**Hello! It's me again. Okay, please review, and please read. This chapter is different from the others because in this chapter I start leading up to the climax in the story. I apologize for any spelling and grammer mistakes in this chapter. Also, I don't hate Koga, and he in my story he's to weird. Very very weird. But please bare with me. I actually like Koga, but he's just the perfect tool to use in these stories!**_

_**Koga: I am not a tool! I'm a WOLF! And what do you mean, that I'm weird? I'm not sure my Kagome would like that very much…**_

_**Inuyasha: Grrrrrrr…she's not your—**_

_**Me: Of course she won't like it! Especially when you force her to…**_

_**Koga and Inuyasha: Force her to…what?**_

_**Me: smiles smugly Oh, nothing.**_

_**Inuyasha and Koga start fighting.**_

_**Kagome: Now look what you've done. Great. Just put the disclaimer in already.**_

_**Me: Fine. Be that way.**_

_**Disclaimer. I don't own Inuyasha, any Inuyasha products, or anything else owned by Rumiko Takahashi. I borrow them, and Fluffy is going to run away and be mine.**_

_**Sesshomaru: You wish.**_

_**Me: My wishes always come true. YAY! We're going to be so happy together! Let's get a house in Wales!**_

_**Sesshomaru: …………. Sweatdrop**_

_Recording ends…_

_Lawyer #1: (looks as if he's been scarred for life)…what…what the hell was that?_

_Lawyer #2: That was one of the disclaimers from Turns Of Time. I think that's how Pwale decided to buy this place._

_Lawyer #1: ARE YOU READING THE ENEMIES WORK!_

_Al: This is almost as long as the last really long disclaimer…STOP HER BEFORE SHE GET'S ANY FURTHER!_

_(People wrestle Pwale away from the keyboard)_

_Pwale: NOOO! I have to write the chapter!_

_**G**_

_**The Stamp Of Gold**_

_**Horses Of Horror**_

_By Pwalefriend_

_**G**_

It had now been two weeks since the fire and things were _finally_ getting back to normal. It surprised Kagome; every time that she looked at the mansion, how fast they were getting things done. Each morning there was some job done that Kagome could have been sure hadn't been started let alone finished the day before. They weren't running out of supplies and people were taking the conditions surprisingly well. It was almost as if they had an army of invisible helpers. But that was impossible.

Or…it was impossible if you didn't know about the Elementals. And that, dear readers, is where this chapter really starts.

You could not live in the Feudal Era, the Takahashi mansion, for very long without encountering the Elementals themselves or at least becoming aware of their presence. After all, only those that the Elementals liked were allowed to stay. The ones that the little faeries didn't like were soon driven off; most of those that were driven off left and went immediately to the nearest psychiatrist.

No one could remember when the Elementals had come to the land, not even Koga who was part of the demon tribe that had roamed these lands before being driven off by the 'modern era'. One theory was that the Elementals came from the ground itself, another was that they were the spirits of babies who had died before being baptized. Whatever the truth was, the Elementals sure weren't saying. But they weren't leaving either.

They had, as you'll remember dear reader, met Kagome. But she has yet to meet _them_.

So let's begin.

It was nighttime and Kagome was preparing for that night's lesson.

Inuyasha's room, being the center of the fire as it was, still wasn't quite ready for habitation, but it wouldn't stay like that much longer. Still, Inuyasha had insisted that the nightly lessons not be delayed and that they start up again right where they left off. This time, instead of a corkboard separating them, there was only a curtain. It hung from the ceiling, separating the room Inuyasha had temporarily moved in to in half. During the lesson's Kagome sat on one side and Inuyasha sat on the other, still not seeing one another's faces. No questions asked.

So, Kagome prepared for the lesson. Well, all right, she actually dozing in a big comfy chair, but in her defense the girl was _exhausted_. She had been at this and at that the entire last, what? Three, four weeks? Quite frankly, she was sick of it. Early hours and late nights were no way to live, not for anyone. And since they hadn't really gotten around to getting much more food no one was really the proper nutrition either. Oh, when Kagome finally got to meet Inuyasha, she was going to give that man a piece of her mind! No one, and I repeat, no one should have to undergo this treatment. It made Kagome's heart to think of all the people who went through this every single day of their lives and it made her want to cry to think of those who were going through far worse.

Come to think of it, Kagome decided, if she ever got her hands on any high-up government official there was going to be _hell _to pay. Wasn't the government supposed to protect them from the flying slippers? But did they? _No! No they did not!_

Well, Kagome was running away from one of those evil flying purple people-eating fuzzy slippers when a cry of terror shook her out of her sleep and her very strange dream about slippers. She jerked up and looked around wildly.

There was no one there.

Kagome settled back into her chair (still a little more then half asleep) and wondered if any dwarves could have gotten the slippers. Another cry. Yup, she was sure that noise was coming from one of the slippers who were being tortured by the dwarves. She loved the dwarves. There was another cry, though this one bordered on a whimper. They were so much more reliable then the government. The government was just so _unreliable_. Not like the dwarves at all. The dwarves were people she knew she could count on. A desperate whimper was heard and somewhere in the depths of her mind Kagome realized that it sounded a lot closer then it should have. But oh look! There was one of those dwarves now! Huh? What was it going? OW! It pinched her!

_That_ woke Kagome up in a hurry.

Kagome's breath was nearly put out of her when she looked down and saw that the "dwarf" had not disappeared when she had woken up. What hadn't it disappeared? Now that she looked it actually resembled a little bonsai tree. But it hadn't disappeared. That could only mean one thing. Actually…it could mean a lot of things but right then Kagome was just going to assume that she wasn't completely bonkers. And if she assumed _that_, then _that_ meant that the Little Tree Person was real. And _that_ meant…

"You poked me!" She hissed, pointing a finger at the Little Tree Person that was hovering in the air in front of her. "Why did you-" But this time Kagome was interrupted by another cry and this time she actually heard it.

"_Please_…" Came a man's voice. It was choked and on the brink of tears. "_Please!_"

Kagome froze, a little frown on her face. That sounded like Inuyasha, but whom could he be talking to? There was only her and Little Tree Person.

Little Tree Person grabbed Kagome's hand with its twig-like arms and clutched it to its trunk-like body. Kagome blinked.

"Please…" It said, it's voice sounding like leaves rustling in the wind. Kagome would later have to wonder how it managed human speech with a voice like that. But now was not the time. "The lord…in trouble…lady help…help…please…"

Kagome stared at it. What did it mean? Obviously it was desperate so she picked up her thinking pace.

The lord. That was clearly Inuyasha. The lord…in trouble…Was Inuyasha in trouble? What sort of trouble? Well, that did mean that the cries were coming from him. The lady…did that mean her? Was she the lady? The Little Tree Person _had_ been addressing her and as far as she knew she was the only woman in the room. So in conclusion…

"Inuyasha's in trouble and that's why he's shouting?" Kagome clarified aloud. "And you want me to help him?"

The Little Tree Person bobbed up and down, clutching her hand even tighter.

"All right." Kagome said, getting up carefully. "Take me to him."

The Little Tree Person's face split into a wicked splintery grin and it began to pull her to Inuyasha. When it pulled her past the curtain that separated the room in half Kagome found herself in a maze of books, papers and even more Little Tree People. And then, at the far end of the room, in a bed of puffy goose down blankets, lay a man. He was all wrapped up in his blankets and he was thrashing around and whimpering as if someone was beating him. Exasperated Kagome noticed that she still could not see his face or even his head, as it was the most wrapped up. He must have started to suffocate.

The worried Little Tree Person that had fetched her flitted up to her hair and clung to it like a small child to a teddy bear.

"He's dying…" It said sadly. Kagome laughed at that, startling all of the Little Tree People.

"He's not dying." She said. "He's just having a nightmare."

"A nightmare…" One of the Little Tree People said. "I've heard about those…"

Kagome smiled. Whatever these Little Tree People actually were they were as cute as Shippo.

"_Stop it!_" Inuyasha barked. Kagome's smile vanished. What was she going to do with him? Kagome sighed and began to pick her way through the maze to reach her employer's bedside.

'_He's my employer.' _She was thinking. _'I'm the employee. I work for him. Employer. Employee. I'm **sure** that there are laws against this sort of thing…it's not exactly the most orthodox of situations. But then again…neither is an educated woman.'_ Kagome thought wryly. She knew perfectly well how society frowned upon those who broke taboo from her college days.

Oh…how she missed college! She loved it here, but she wished more then anything that she could go back to college, finish her education and become a real historian. She had been aiming for archaeology.

'_Come to think of it…'_ She thought. _'The Feudal Era would be a perfect place to set up…I wonder what's in those plains…'_

Kagome did not exactly have what one could call a one-track mind.

She knelt beside Inuyasha's bed and placed a hand on his shoulder to stop his thrashing before whipping his blankets off his head, unfortunately there turned out only to be one blanket. The moment she touched him Inuyasha awoke, but he was too confused to stop her before it was too late. When he opened his eyes he found himself meeting Kagome's horrified ones.

"..Oh…" She gasped, before throwing herself back. "…I…I am _sorry_…I…I'm…I'll be going…now…" And with that, she fled, leaving a startled Inuyasha behind.

"Shit." He swore. He turned to look at the Elementals. "Quick!" He said. "Stop her! I need to talk to her now."

In a flash several of the Elementals vanished and a few moments (and a few undignified squawks as well) they came dragging a hassled looking Kagome between them.

Inuyasha tried to glare at her, but she refused to look at him. That made him angry.

"What!" He snapped. "Is it that bad?"

"…" Kagome wouldn't speak either, but by now she was blushing furiously.

"I didn't think you'd be so racist, _Kagome_." Inuyasha snapped, spitting out her name as if it were something foul. An Elemental poked him.

"Master…" It said. "I believe she is unnerved by your lack of mortal covering…"

Inuyasha looked down…and blushed as red of a tomatoe.

'_Of course…'_ He thought. _'The most awkward moment of my life just **had** to happen when I was naked…naturally. The Gods hate me. They **really** hate me.'_

Kagome's thoughts were very different.

'_What else could I have been offended by?'_ She wondered.

There was a moment of silence.

"…So…" Inuyasha began. "You don't mind that…I'm a hanyou?"

Kagome jumped and stared at him, glad to see that he was now covered by his blanket.

"_You're a hanyou?_" She yelped.

"Well, what else would I be?" He demanded, irked once more. Kagome stared at him in even more shock.

"…Well, pardon me your highness. I didn't realize that I was supposed to psychic as well. See, you look pretty damn human to me." She paused. "When I say human I mean _homo sapiens_. There's a huge debate and I don't want to go into it right-"

"Bring me that calendar." Inuyasha interrupted her, pointing a finger to a lunar calendar that was by her feet. Kagome blinked, bent down and brought him the calendar.

Inuyasha took one look at it before hitting himself over the head with it.

"It's the new moon. New moon." He kept saying.

"Um…what?" Kagome asked. Inuyasha glared at her.

"_New moon!_" He bellowed.

"There's no need to yell." Kagome snapped back. "I really have no idea what you're talking about."

Inuyasha grabbed a handful of his black hair and pulled. It wasn't enough that she had seen him, or that he had been cursed with a nightmare, no. It just _had_ to be his human night as well, didn't it!

"Master…did you have a horse of horror?" One of the Elementals asked from where it was clinging to Kagome's ear.

"I'm going to call you Clingy." She told it. It looked up at her with eyes as large as soup plates.

"…A what?" Inuyasha asked after a moment.

"A horse of horror." Another Elemental said. "The lady called it a nightmare. And a mare is a horse. And nightmares don't look pleasant." It made a face. "They look horrible. So it is a horse of horror."

"Why would the lady want to do that?" The Elemental, now christened Clingy, asked.

"I'll answer that as soon as Inuyasha answers my questions." Kagome said smartly.

Inuyasha flopped back on his bed.

It was going to be a long night.

_**G**_

_See, a longer chapter! So show your appreciation please, and review!_

_Roar!_

_See!_

_Sincerely_

_Pwalefriend_


	20. Come Together II

_**A special thanks to…**_

_**Punk Rock Miko2**_

_**Hearii-sama**_

_**sweetrosie **_

_**Smiley Gurl 87**_

_**chiclet180**_

_**Goddess of the Moonlit Sky**_

_**Avelyn Lauren**_

_**bdrake07**_

_**neopets1great**_

_**silverkonekotsukari**_

_**MeiunTenshi**_

_**Remenescent**_

_**katsheswims**_

_**Mistress of Demons**_

_**ffgirlmoonie**_

_**Al**_

**_Tara-chan: No, far from it in fact. Though, now that you mention it, they do sound a lot like Leaf and friends, don't they? Actually, those things aren't originally from Trickster's Queen, and instead from one of her other series, Wild Magic. If you haven't read I highly recommend it. It's about Daine. _**

_Disclaimer:_

_Pwale: Let's just say it this time._

_Mr. X: Are you serious?_

_Pwale: Well, everyone else went out, so let's just say it._

_Mr. X: …okay. If you're sure._

_Pwale: I'm sure._

_Mr. X: …_

_Pwale: Let's do it together._

_Mr. X: Okay, on the count of three. One…_

_Pwale: Two…  
Mr. X: Three…_

_Pwale & Mr. X: **We don't own the Inuyasha characters**._

_Pwale: Well, that went well._

_**The Stamp Of Gold**_

_**Come Together II**_

_By Pwalefriend_

"**_KAGOME! KA-GOOOO-ME!_**" Shippo screamed at the top of his little lungs as he barreled back into the mansion. It looked…different. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but something had definitely happened. He hadn't started to panic though, until he Myoga. Myoga _never_ came unless something really _bad_ had happened. Rin and Satsuki knew it too, and they were all searching for Kagome now, praying that nothing had happened to her.

"What happened?" Kagura asked her husband, who had been talking to Myoga.

"Inuyasha set the house on fire." Sesshomaru said calmly. Kagura blinked, then paled.

"He _what_!" She spat.

"He set the house on fire."

"_How can you say that so calmly!"_

"Why shouldn't I?"

"Because it's a horrible and ridiculous thing to say!"

"What's ridiculous about it?"

"What do you mean 'what's ridiculous about it'?"

And, in that vein, they continued…for a very long time.

The kids searched high and low, but when the reached the nursery the weird smell got a lot stronger and they were distracted by that…and by the servant who had been trying to catch and stop them from entering this side of the mansion. Now the servant was sitting in the middle of the room and staring around, muttering things like:

"How is this possible?"

And:

"Maybe the other's are right."

And:

"I shoulda listened to me muddah."

And:

"Oh well, there's work to be done and lunch isn't going to cook itself."

And with that final phrase the servant got up and left the children alone. The children looked at each other. Shrugged, and they all proceeded to wonder in their own special ways what exactly was wrong with adults.

_**G**_

_Bang! Bang! Bang!_

That was the noise that jerked Kagome and Inuyasha awake in the morning. They had spent the entire night discussing things like this so-called _night of weakness_ and how to proceed with their lessons. They ended up deciding to continue the lessons face to face, since anything else would just be silly, and that they weren't going to tell the others.

Why?

Simple. Both Inuyasha and Kagome loved a good laugh, and they couldn't wait to see their faces once the others realized that they were well acquainted.

_Bang! Bang! **Bang. Bang!**_

Now they looked at each other, cautiously. If anyone found Kagome in _here_ with _Inuyasha_, then the whole plan would be ruined!

"_Get under here._" Inuyasha whispered, lifting up a blanket. They may have conversed innocently, and Inuyasha may have put on some pants, but they hadn't left Inuyasha's bedside.

Kagome nodded and crawled under, trying to look at flat as possible.

"Inuyasha!" Growled a voice from the other side of the door, Kagome recognized it as Lord Sesshomaru's. She started. Did that mean that the children were back too? Uh-oh…knowing them they were already looking for her. This didn't seem like it was going to be easy.

"I'm comin', I'm comin'." Inuyasha growled back, leaping forward and jerking the door open. "Try a little bit of patience, would you?"

Sesshomaru glared at him.

"And you could try a little bit of speed, oh king of snails."

"Hey!" Inuyasha protested. "The snail beat the rabbit!" Referring to a common folk tale.

"That was the tortoise."

"…What about the donkey?"

"That was the toad."

"…the Zodiac?"

"The snail isn't in that one, Inuyasha."

"What about that one with the lady bug?"

"In that one? Inuyasha…in that one the lady bug _is_ the slow one."

"Well then what about that spider-"

"Ananzi?" Sesshomaru eye brows raised. Come to think of it, he was sure that Ananzi had been in a race, but he couldn't remember it. "As much as I'd love to sit here with you listing myths," he said instead. "I _did_ come for a reason."

"No!" Inuyasha exclaimed sarcastically. "I thought that you just came to say hello!"

'_Normal people would have just come to say hello…'_ Kagome thought from underneath the blanket. _'What does that say to you about these people?'_

Sesshomaru looked around the room with a despairing eye.

"Your room is…fixed…" Sesshomaru said with a smirk, then he left. Kagome heard the door shut, shortly followed by a loud thump, before she chanced to peek out from under the covers. When she did she was met by Inuyasha's pale, _pale_ face.

"Can I get in under with you?" He croaked. Kagome just _looked_ at him. "My brother's trying to kill me again." Inuyasha said as way of explanation.

"…Right-ee-oh then." Kagome said after a moment. "I'm just going to go…find the children and see if they've kept up with their studies while they were abroad. I seriously doubt it though…I hope that they at least drew the pictures that I asked them too…" And with that, she too fled.

'_There is something wrong with this household…'_ She thought.

'_What's her problem?'_ Inuyasha was wondering. _'If anyone should be scared, it's **me**. I **hate** it when Sesshomaru tries to kill me!'_

_**G**_

"Um…Inuyasha?" Miroku asked, looking down at his friend. It was late night, and Miroku had expected to find even Inuyasha asleep. Instead Inuyasha was sitting on the floor in front of his room, shoving Shippo's toy duck-on-wheels through the open door.

"Shh!" Inuyasha hissed. "I'm checking for traps!"

"Inuyasha…" Miroku sighed. "There are no traps in here."

"Are too!" Inuyasha said stubbornly.

"Are not!" Miroku shot back.

"Prove it!" Inuyasha challenged.

"Fine." Miroku said. "I will." And with that he walked confidently into the room…

…Only to have a bucket of frogs fall on his head, much to Inuyasha's amusement.

"Ha!" Inuyasha said, walking in as well not that the danger was gone. "And you said that there weren't any-" But as he said this and as he stepped over Miroku another bucket, this time full of milk fell on his head.

"Ha!" Miroku said back. "…Hey? Where'd you get that necklace?"

Inuyasha, remembering his time with Kagome earlier that morning, just _looked_ at the other man. Miroku flinched.

"What?" Miroku asked. "Why are you giving me that look? Stop giving me that look! How'd you learn that look anyway, I thought that only girls could do that look! No! Stop it!"

Kagome looked up at the ceiling from the nursery where she was cleaning up.

"What the _hell_ are they doing up there?" She wondered aloud, and then she shrugged.

Males were weird.

_**G**_

_Well, did you like it? Sorry that it took me so long! I'll try and update sooner next time! And I'm sooo sorry if I forgot to thank any of the reviewers! But review anyway otherwise my Review Lion will have to-well…**you** know what I mean…_

_Sincerely_

_Pwalefriend_


	21. This Little Piggy Went To The Market

_**A special thank you to…**_

_**chiclet180**_

_**Punk Rock Miko2**_

_**Mistress of Demons**_

_**Clouds of the Sky**_

_**Smiley Gurl 87**_

_**Hearii-sama**_

_**bdrake07**_

_**sweetrosie**_

_**The Lonely Bird**_

_**Goddess of the Moonlit Sky**_

_**jossledangle**_

_**Star of the Moon**_

_**Avelyn Lauren**_

_**MeiunTenshi**_

_**katsheswims**_

_**ffgirlmoonie **_

_**Remenescent**_

_**Al**_

_**readingwriting wench**_

_**Boylessgirl52941**_

_Disclaimer: _

_Jenny: So. You finally decided to get to it and write the chapter, huh?_

_Pwale: It's not my fault! Web-comics are just **so** addicting! _

_Al: Which one are you reading?_

_Pwale: If I told you I'd have to kill you._

_Al: I didn't know that there was one called that._

_Pwale: …um…_

_Jenny: Uh, Al?_

_Al: Yeah?_

_Jenny: Pwale wasn't talking about the web-comic._

_Al: …I don't get it._

_Inuyasha: Hey…why is it suddenly winter in this chapter?_

_Pwale: It's been winter the entire time. Haven't I mentioned that? Why, yes I have! It **snowed**. That happens in the winter…_

_Inuyasha: Oh yeah!_

_Al: …Jenny?_

_Jenny: Yeah?_

_Lia: …Is that who we think it is?_

_Jenny: **Him**? Yeah, it is._

_Pwale: …Why are you all looking at me like that?_

_Al: You…Die…Now…_

_Pwale: NO! DON'T KILL ME! I'M INNOCENT!_

_Lia: HELL you are!_

_Calcifer: Do I have to whisper it, **again**?_

_Mr. X: I think you do._

_(Lawyer #1 and #2 come into the room and hand Pwale a piece of paper.)_

_Al: What does it say?_

_Pwale: It says…I do not own Inuyasha and cast and-HEY!_

_(Lawyer #1 and #2 run away giggling.)_

_Pwale: …Bastards._

_**The Stamp Of Gold**_

_**This Little Piggy Went To The Market**_

_By Pwalefriend_

Well, it was _that_ time of the week again! What with all of the drama and fire and chaos of late Kagome had not been able to enjoy her Sundays, those blessed days when she got to leave and go to town on her day off.

And if Inuyasha couldn't deal with that then it was his problem. Not hers.

"I said, _no_!" Inuyasha was yelling at her. "And I _meant **no**_!"

"I don't care _what_ you meant!" Kagome yelled back. "I'm going and that's _final_."

Inuyasha _was_ going to protest further…only she gave him that _look_ again. It was a _very bad look_. Inuyasha didn't like it; he didn't like it at all. He had even been having nightmares about that look, in which she also shouted SIT and he went crashing to the ground and then she left hi-…and then she left forever. It _had_ to be this thrice-damned rosary that he couldn't seem to get off his neck. What the hell was it supposed to _do_, anyway?

The door slammed, alerting him off Kagome's sudden departure, and he was left with nothing to do but listen to a _very_ annoying bird that was 'singing' at his window and read.

"How does she _do_ that?" He wondered.

_**G**_

Kagome was happily strolling through the sunny streets of the town. It was surprisingly warm for winter and there wasn't any snow on the ground. Taking advantage of the beautiful weather everyone was out and about, to add it was a market day and Kagome couldn't have been more thrilled. She was having the time of her life, browsing here and perusing there.

She was examining a beautiful little box that showed the Unicorn and the Serpent twisting around one another. The colors were magnificently rich too, and it wasn't like any of the other little boxes on display at that particular stand. That was the thing that Kagome loved the most about the handmade crafts, each one was completely and utterly unique.

"Ah..." Said a voice from her left shoulder. Kagome jumped and saw, when she turned, a young man with long black hair and reddened eyes. He was rather beautiful, in a dark sort of way. He smiled at her, much like a fish would before it opened it's mouth and revealed it's razor sharp teeth. "The Unicorn, which represent virtue, entwined with the Serpent, which represents wisdom. That you are attracted to such a thing…perchance it is a reflection of yourself?"

Kagome blushed lightly. Who was immune to educated flattery? Especially when one understood it.

"Well, I wouldn't know about that sir." She said. "If it were to be a reflection of myself, well, is there a symbol for strong minded and bossy? Then it surely would reflect my own personality to a point."

The man tapped his finger gently to his lips, pretending to think.

"An Allerion maybe," he said jokingly. "It represents strength of mind." He offered her his arm. "Might we discuss this further, over some tea in a café. Your choice, naturally."

Kagome looked him up and down. From the lingering stench of alcohol and opium around him she could tell that he was not to be trusted whatsoever, but from his clothes and his manners she could also tell that he was rather well-to-do. And in the town when it was as busy as it was today it would be very hard to kidnap her. Kagome was a teacher, she was very, _very_ good at screaming. And besides, she was a little bored, spending all her time out at the mansion. Sure, it was splendid there, but it would be nice to have a little bit of that so-called 'normalcy' in her life.

"I'd love to." She said, taking his arm.

'_You know that you've got it chaotic when you classify having lunch with a drunk and an opium-user as 'normal'.'_ She thought wryly as they went to the café.

_**G**_

It was getting late and it was time for Kagome to go back to the mansion. She had been having a simply _delightful_ time with Mr. Onigumo, as she learned was the man's name.

"Really, Ms. Higurashi," Mr. Onigumo was saying as she prepared to board the train. "It's awfully late for a young lady to be traveling the locomotive. I have a town house that you could stay in, it would be my absolute pleasure to have you there."

'_I bet it would.'_ Kagome thought. She might have had a good time with the man, but that didn't mean that she wasn't looking for a double meaning in anything and everything that he said.

"Really, Mr. Onigumo." She said, not unkindly. "I must be getting back, my employer, Mr. Takahashi, gets quite temperamental if I am away too long."

Mr. Onigumo blinked.

"You work for Inuyasha?" He asked, then he beamed. "Then please, give him this from me!" Mr. Onigumo pulled a small packet from the inside of his shirt and handed it to her. "We're in the same business, as it were, and I've been meaning to find a way to send that to him. Would you mind terribly delivering it?"

"I'll be happy to." Kagome said. The train whistle blew and she jumped, and then ran to the compartment door. "It's been a pleasure meeting you Mr. Onigumo!" She called over her shoulder and then disappeared into the crowds.

When the train pulled out of the station Naraku Onigumo shook his head and walked from the depot. If there was one thing that he had to hand to Inuyasha and Sesshomaru Takahashi, it was that they had a talent for collecting interesting and charming young women. If only he could get his hands on more of them.

Oh well. Kikyo surpassed them all by far.

_**G**_

_Well, I was going to make this chapter much longer but it's late and I can't remember the last time I update. I'm so sorry!_

_Please Review anyway!_

_Review Lion and I are too tired to come up with anything clever, but to make up for it I'll give you a 'coming up' thing for the next chapter._

**_Next time in The Stamp Of Gold…Kagome is nearly killed on the train and Inuyasha is put on the spot. Who is this Naraku Onigumo character? What!_**

"_**No Kagome! You can't leave! We love you!"**_

"_**Shippo…I don't…"**_

"_**You can't leave!"**_

_Will it be those exact words? Well, we'll have to see if I can make it any less corny, now won't we. Well…do you guys want that part to be corny or not? Let's have a little vote…Corny means chapter comes faster. Not Corny means that chapter is better. _

_No votes means I do what the hell I want till Al (in real life) starts randomly trying to strangle me. Then I get to work._

_Well, sorry again about missing my Saturday dead line! I'll…um…do it next week! _

…

_Unless I forget the day. That happens to you during Summer Vacation._

_Sincerely_

_Pwalefriend_


	22. Three Strikes And You're Out

_Okay guys, I am **so **utterly sorry about how long it took. I was planning to update **last** Saturday but, wouldn't you know it, my internet gave out. _

_I mean, it really gave out._

_Nothing._

_No. Internet. For. Entire. Week._

_Now, as if that wasn't bad enough, it got worse. _

_I am horrible at turning in my assignments on time, right? But the one class I've been able to do work for on time all year is English. Last assignment of the year? I plan to e-mail it to my teacher. _

_Internet gives out._

_That was the last day of school._

_That really, **really** sucks._

_But at least school is out for the summer, and next year I'm going to a Performing Arts school, so…well…who knows. _

_Once again, I'm so sorry. But this chapter is really long. About 26 pages._

_**A special thank you to…**_

_**MeiunTenshi**_

_**TouchofPixieDust**_

_**ffgirlmoonie**_

_**Clouds of the Sky**_

_**sweetrosie**_

_**chiclet180**_

_**Boylessgirl52941**_

_**Smiley Gurl 87**_

_**ripgurlLillyania**_

_**Punk Rock Miko2**_

_**Mistress of Demons**_

_**Remenescent**_

_**Goddess of the Moonlit Sky**_

_**bdrake07**_

_**Tara-chan**_

_**Avelyn Lauren**_

_**dragonflamez13**_

_**Al**_

_**Moccha**_

_**Hearii-sama**_

_**Kagome1322: **I am me. FEAR ME AND MY LACK OF PROPER SLEEP!_ Besides, some idiot gave me a bat today. I'm in killing mood. Heh heh heh.

_Disclaimer:_

_Jenny: I LOVE THIS CHAPTER!_

_Lia: I KNOW!_

_Everyone else: …(they all slowly edge away)_

_Jenny: WRITE MORE OF THEM EXACTLY LIKE IT! IT ROCKS MY WORLD!_

_Lia: IT ROCKS MY SOCKS!_

_Jenny: IT ROCKS MY SOCKS RIGHT OUT OF MY SOCK DRAWER!  
Pwale: I knew I could count on you two to like it…though I'm not sure if this is a good thing…_

_Al: Did you **have** to put a-(Mr. X and Pwale cover Al's mouth)_

_Mr. X: Shhh! The readers are reading!_

_Al: Mmmf mmm!_

_Calcifer: I tell you people. If I weren't here, nothing would ever get done. We don't own the characters. (Looks at the Lawyers.) How did you **manage** before I came?_

_Lawyer #1: Did you ever read the TOT disclaimers?_

_Calcifer: No._

_Lawyer #2: …Good. Don't._

_Calcifer: …_

_Pwale: Oh yeah! On the corny matter…well…most of you voted half-and-half. Al voted non-corny, but then she gave me a homicidal penguin-_

_Al: I **told** you! I didn't **know** that it would do that!_

_Pwale: What part of **homicidal** do you **not **understand! Anyway…since we are now being charged with ownership of a bloody baby-eating penguin-_

_Al: See! I said it would commit homicide, not cannibalism! _

_Pwale: …It's a penguin. That isn't cannibalism! Yeah, so since it's really Al's fault I'm not going to really try to make it non-corny and we're just going to go with the half-half thing. After all…when I don't write corny I find it boring. When I write corny it sucks. Let's see if we can pull this off, my darling ducklings and puppies!_

_Al: Puppies?_

_Lia: (Staring up at three newcomers, who just magically popped into the room)…Hey guys. She got you here too?_

_Mario: …What the-…_

_KK: …Why are there all those big eyes staring at us?_

_Blake: I think those are the…readers?_

_Pwale: MWAH-HA-HA-HA!_

_**G**_

_**The Stamp Of Gold**_

_**Three Strokes And You're Out**_

_By Pwalefriend_

_This chapter is dedicated to my third grade class and The Year Of The Boar And Jackie Robinson, we ain't never gonna let go man! NO LET GO, I SAY, NO LET GO!_

_I pledge my allegiance to the frog of America!_

_Don't ask._

Well, all in all, it had been a fairly swell day. She had nothing to complain about, not really. Mr. Onigumo had, as she thought back on it now, been a little odd. But for someone who so strongly reeked of opium out here in the country, it was only to be expected. The City, Kagome's hometown, had the largest opium market in the country, so she was accustomed to the smell.

She sincerely doubted many others in the country were.

So what did Mr. Onigumo think he was doing? Kagome shrugged. It wasn't any of her business.

"Excuse me, ma'am?" A young woman, not long out of girl-hood, asked her. Kagome looked at her, not unkindly, but wondering why the woman looked so perturbed.

"Yes?" Kagome asked.

"What's in that package? Forgive me if I sound rude but…it's ticking…"

Kagome felt the blood leave her face. Staring down at the package in her hands, the self-same package the Mr. Onigumo had given to her not too long ago, she found to her horror that it was indeed ticking.

'_It's not me he wants to kill…at least, I don't think that it is.'_ She thought, faster then she had ever thought before. _'He told me to give it to Inuyasha. And he wouldn't do such a thing without a little research. So he must know how long the train takes. We have about an hour more, and then he would probably give it thirty more minutes, just to make sure. So, it shouldn't go off quite yet, but still…I have to do something…'_

"Make no sudden movements." Kagome commanded the girl briskly, adopting her 'teacher voice' for the situation. "I need you to slowly, _slowly_, get up and open the window. Most of all you must remain calm. Do you think you can do that?" The girl nodded.

"Yes ma'am." She said. "My Pa's a doctor and my Ma's got a talent for finding injured animals that are half the size of her and then bringing them home. I learned at an early age to stay calm during situations and to do what people told me." And the girl slowly got up and even slower opened the bottom half of the window.

Kagome smiled.

"That's a good girl." She said. "Now sit back down, but get under your seat. Don't move until I tell you to, okay? I'm serious. _Do. Not. Move._"

The girl nodded and sat back down, curling up under her seat and squishing her eyes as shut as they could go. Kagome didn't blame her.

Holding the packet delicately and moving as carefully as she possibly could on a train, Kagome slowly got up and moved over to the window. She carefully drew back her arm and then threw the package as far as she possibly could before immediately diving under her own seat faster then she had ever gone in her life.

A huge explosion shook the air and fire burst from the prairie grass the stood by the train. Screams were screamed and glass shattered. The lights flickered out but the train kept moving. Then Kagome heard a panicked voice that she recognized as the engineers. Kagome curled up closer in on herself and whimpered; this had to be one of the scariest things that had happened to her.

Neither Kagome nor the girl knew how long it was before the train quieted down again and they dared to breath. Kagome scooted back from under her seat and banged the window closed. She leaned on the cool glass for comfort.

"You can come back out now." She said. The girl came, staring at her shakily.

"Ma'am?" She said. "That…that was…"

"A bomb." Kagome finished grimly, her mouth set and her eyes flashing. "A man handed me a bomb and then walked away."

'_And I want to know why_._'_ She thought.

_**G**_

Inuyasha was quite innocently reading up on carrots, of all things. He had been in a spontaneous mood, but the last time he had been spontaneous around his brother he had ended up bedridden for several months, courtesy of pneumonia, scurvy (to this day he had no idea how he had contracted it) and numerous broken limbs. So Inuyasha had contented himself with picking up a random book and opening it to a random page and reading. It was just his luck that the book happened to be all about bunny-food.

When the door slammed open and Kagome stomped in, looking angrier then he had ever seen her, that was _including_ the fight that they had had before he had burned down the mansion, he would have felt relieved and even grateful that she had saved him from his boredom…except…well, suffice to say that at that moment he was wishing that he had chosen to brave Sesshomaru instead. Kagome just stood there, glaring at him like there was no tomorrow, for several moments of total silence.

"…Yes?" Inuyasha said, though he knew this would probably spell his doom. A doom, which would be executed with Chinese Water Torture, if Kagome's expression was any indication. He could almost feel the drip-drip on his forehead now.

"_Who is Onigumo_?" Kagome hissed.

…

…

…

…Well, ain't this just familiar...

…

…

…Utter silence…

…

….

…Even the crickets have run away and hidden…

…

…The silence is snapping…

…

…This is your last chance to run away…

…

…Uh-oh…

…

Silence snapped.

"_**What!"**_

_**G**_

It was a _long_ time before either Kagome or Inuyasha had calmed down enough to be anything like civil to one another. Luckily when Sesshomaru came in to see what all the hub-hub was about Inuyasha had stalked into one of the other rooms only moments before and Kagome hadn't gone after him.

"You'll wake everyone up if you continue this ruckus." Sesshomaru drawled. He regretted it instantly when Kagome turned on him. Involuntary, he took a step back.

"_Who. Is. Onigumo?_" She hissed at him, loathing, absolute and utter loathing, practically dripping from her tongue. Sesshomaru blinked.

"Did he attack you?" He asked. She snorted.

"Not exactly. Instead he gave me a bomb to kill Inuyasha with."

Sesshomaru shrugged.

"That's what he does. You could call him Inuyasha's arch nemesis. They like to kill one another."

Kagome growled. He was almost as bad as Inuyasha.

"Bad man." Said a tiny little voice at her elbow. Kagome looked down and saw none other then Clingy, bobbing anxiously by her side. "Give horror-horses to Master."

Kagome frowned.

Sesshomaru groaned.

"I will never understand this place." He said.

"**GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE, YOU BASTARDS**!" Inuyasha screamed from behind the wall.

Kagome's frown deepened. It could just be the wall between them, but did Inuyasha's voice sound suspiciously muffled.

"Inuyasha!" Sesshomaru shouted back. "Come out here. Right now!"

"What's going on?" Asked Miroku, appearing in the open doorway.

"**_GO THE HELL AWAY_**!_ **YOU'RE NOT WELCOME HERE**_!"

"Oh…shit…" Miroku swore. Kagome blinked.

'_Is that the first time I've heard him swear?'_ She wondered, but she couldn't remember.

"Who mentioned Kikyo?" He asked.

Kagome froze.

Sesshomaru froze.

In the other room, Inuyasha froze.

Clingy didn't. Clingy decided that humans were stupid and if things were going to be this dangerous then Lady had to go back to her Metal Hive. Clingy, like all Elementals, was acutely aware of all of Gaia around them, and what happened to her happened to them. When the bomb had exploded the Elementals had immediately known the What, the Where, the When, the Who and the How of the situation. They had not known the Why. And they still didn't.

But Clingy did know that Lady had to leave if she was going to be in this much danger. The other Elementals agreed. If Naraku Onigumo had resurfaced, and if Mistress Kikyo was back on the prowl, then there was no telling what would befall a perfect target like Lady if they had the chance.

"Lady…" Clingy said. "Onigumo is a man…a bad man, as you human's say. He likes to hurt Master. Master likes to hurt him, but Naraku hurts him most. Kikyo-"

"I've met both of them, Clingy." She interrupted, drawing the absolute attention of everyone in the room and the single listener in the other room. "I'm aware that Mr. Onigumo is an evil man who wants to hurt, if not kill, Inuyasha. But what's this about Kikyo? I met her once, and she seemed to me to be quite a decent person. I really don't-"

The sound of shattering glass from the other room stopped Kagome in the middle of her sentence. In the other room, Inuyasha had just thrown a rather expensive vase at the opposite wall.

"Oh, _sure_!" Inuyasha yelled. "She seems nice in the beginning, but then she turns around and tries to kill you! That bitch! That little bitch! I'll kill _her_!"

"Oh dear…" Miroku muttered, hurrying past Kagome, Clingy and Sesshomaru and trotting into the room where Inuyasha was.

"_No!_" Inuyasha yelled. "I'll do what she tried to do! I'll fucking _cull _her! Like a damned _beast_!" The sound of

Sesshomaru and Clingy quickly followed Miroku, but Kagome stayed where she was. Inuyasha's ranting was too disturbing…too haunting…

"_Ashamed, she said, ashamed. I'll show her **ashamed**! I'll make her sink to the lowest of the low! Then she'll be **ashamed**!_"

…Ashamed?

_Flashback_

"_**A murderer! I for one am ashamed to know you, Inuyasha! ASHAMED TO KNOW YOU, YOU HEAR ME!"**_

_End Flashback_

She had said the same thing once. Right before he had burnt down the mansion.

It was just too much for Kagome. She turned and fled without another word.

Everyone had his or her limit. But before you can reach it there's that moment when you realize that you might.

And that's when you're scared.

_**G**_

"Shippo…" Rin whispered, curling closer to him and Satsuki amongst the pillows of their nursery. "I'm scared. Uncle Inuyasha's really angry this time."

"Do you think he'll come after us?" Satsuki asked.

"I don't know." Shippo whispered back. Suddenly a pair of warm arms embraced their pile of pillows.

"Come on, children." Kagura whispered softly. "You're going to sleep in my room tonight."

"But Kagome promised us a bed time story!" Shippo protested. Kagura looked a little nervous. What was she supposed to say now? After a moment of thought, she settled for a watered-down version of the truth.

"Kagome had a fight with Inuyasha and is very upset right now." Kagura said. "She can't read to you, she's busy…fixing stuff."

The children, as it was nearly midnight, were too sleepy to protest. But Shippo wanted that story.

_**G**_

If there was one miserable thing about the cold of winter it was how unbearable it was in the early hours. When you had to wake up and go outside and wait for your train to come, it made you want to kill some cute furry animal.

But Kagome was feeling to guilty and depressed to feel murderous.

She just sat there at the lonely train station, silently awaiting the arrival of the morning train and the ride that would take her away from this place forever.

No matter how guilty she felt in the process. She had made her decision.

And they wouldn't find her resignation papers until she was long gone.

In the distance, Kagome saw the morning freight train coming. It was too early for a passenger train, but Kagome didn't feel like waiting.

_**G**_

Shippo walked as quietly as he could to Kagome's room, a book in one hand and a picture in the other. The picture was one that he had drawn in hopes that she would read him the book if he gave it to her. After all, she had promised that she would.

Of course, if anyone asked, he'd just look at them in a cute way and say that he was bringing Kagome the picture to cheer her up. No one needed to know that he knew the wonders of bribery, not _yet_ anyway.

Shippo grinned mischievously at this thought.

But when he came to Kagome's door and found Buyo scratching furiously at it and mewing sadly his little grin vanished to be replaced by a worried frown.

Didn't Kagome _always_ sleep with the fur ball?

"Kagome?" Shippo asked quietly, knocking on the door. "Are you there, Kagome?"

There was no answer, so Shippo quietly pushed the door open. At his feet, Buyo streaked in with a grateful _meow_.

There was no one there. The bed was made and the pictures were gone and the only sign that Kagome had been there was a small stack of papers on the desk. Dropping his things Shippo ran over to the desk and stared at the top paper desperately. It was written in Kagome's neat and precise handwriting, but Shippo couldn't read the words.

'_Sound it out, Shippo.'_ Said Kagome's voice in his head. _'You can do it.'_

"I…re…gret…to…ann…ow…announce..my…my…res..ig…resig…na…resignat…i-o-u-n…what does that sound make again? Oh…yeah…resignation. I regret to announce my resignation. Wait…_resignation!_"

That was all Shippo had to read. He was out of that mansion like a shot. It may have been early, but it wasn't too early and there were plenty of servants downstairs getting ready for the day and eating their breakfast while their overlords and ladies slept.

Shippo went by so fast that most of them swore he'd never gone by at all.

_**G**_

"Sure, I think that we can take you, missus." The man said. "Where you headed?"

"Wherever you're going." Kagome said gratefully. "Thank you."

"Not a problem." The man said. "So long as you don't get in the way. It's never bad luck, having an educated missus on board." He tipped his hat and hauled her bag into one of the carts. Kagome sighed and prepared to follow him, but something stopped her.

Or should I say, some_one_.

"Kagome!" Shippo cried, wrapping his tiny arms around her leg. "You can't go! We love you!"

"Shippo…" Kagome said softly. _'How did he find out?'_ She wondered. "Shippo, I can't-"

"No!" Shippo bawled. "You can't leave, you promised to read me a story! And you can protect us from Inuyasha! No one else will! And it's my birthday soon! Mine and Satsuki's! You _have_ to be there! You just_ have_ to!"

"Missus!" The man called. "You coming?"

"I'll be-" Kagome started, but Shippo interrupted her again.

"No let go!" He shouted. Kagome sighed. Who knew that Shippo could be so stubborn? Of course, with Inuyasha as a role model she shouldn't be surprised.

"Shippo-" She tried again, kneeling down (though it was mighty awkward to do so, since he was still clinging to her leg).

"No let go!"

"I-"

"No let go!"

"But-"

"No let go!"

"Okay Shippo, I'll-"

"No let go!"

"No. No let go, Shippo. You don't have to."

"No let-…huh?" Shippo met Kagome's eyes, which were twinkling merrily, before she turned away and looked up at the freight train man.

"I'm terribly sorry about this." She said. "But would you mind retrieving my bag? I'm afraid that I'm incredibly susceptible to cuteness."

The man laughed as he grabbed her luggage and threw it down to her.

"Not at all, missus." He said. "I've got young ones of my own!"

And so, as it would turn out, Kagome and Shippo got back just in time for the beginning of birthday planning. And when they came, they came together, holding hands.

_**G**_

"Well…" Inuyasha thought to himself, smiling slightly. "I always knew that the runt was good for something."

He turned away from the window, where Shippo and Kagome could be seen coming back from the station and dragging her luggage behind them through the snow.

'_I didn't mean to make her leave.'_ He thought. _'It'd be too dangerous for her right now, if she were to go.'_

_**G**_

_Well, how was that!_

_A long chapter, quick update, a tender moment, angst, humor and (what we Americans do best) EXPLOSIONS! _

_I'm half way to a Harry Potter movie._

_Speaking of which…_

_(Pwale glares at nearby Harry Potter book)_

…_Dumbledore-_

_(The other's jump out and gag Pwale)_

_Shut up Pwale! Some of them may not have read the 6th book yet and may be planning to! _

_(Al faces reader) _

_Sorry about that. She has a tendency to give away book endings._

_Pwale: Hey! It is common knowledge that the dogs die in Where The Red Fern Grows, and every other acclaimed dog-book! And it is **not** my fault that half our friends are so…so…so anti-intellectual that they didn't know that Romeo and Juliet die in the end, okay! _

_Calcifer: When did this turn into a disclaimer?_

_(Pwale glares at Calcifer and points to clock.)_

_Calcifer: …Oh…_

_Well, since I'm too tired to do anything but babble nonsense, I'll stop now. I hope that you guys liked the chapter! It's about 26 pages long!_

_Sincerely_

_Pwalefriend_

**To whom it may concern, you know who you are. I got it, my friend. I. Got. His. Coat. Let it be documented here, as well as written and videotaped. IT WAS LEFT UN-ATTENDED AND I GOT IT! **

**In your face!**

**In the words of Applegeeks, someday, somewhere, someone will read this and know what we are talking about.**


	23. Time For The Kids

_**A special thank you to…**_

_**xKillingPerfection**_

_**sweetrosie**_

_**chiclet180**_

_**silverkonekotsukari**_

_**katsheswims**_

_**Mistress of Demons**_

_**Smiley Gurl 87**_

_**Hearii-sama**_

_**Clouds of the Sky**_

_**Goddess of the Moonlit Sky**_

_**Avelyn Lauren**_

_**TouchofPixieDust**_

_**MeiunTenshi**_

_**StarFariey**_

_**ffgirlmoonie**_

_**Y .A.R**_

_**Remenescent**_

_**Sakurascent**_

_**alchemistfrl09**_

_**Al**_

_**dragonflamez13**_

**Pairings are as they are in the series. Yes, Rin _does_ have a crush on Kohaku. Yes, Shippo _does_ have a crush on Satsuki.**

_Disclaimer: _

_Jenny: Yawn._

_Mario: Hello! What Jenny just said pretty much sums it all up!_

_Blake: By the way, we're some of Pwale's characters that recently re-entered her head by way of an original story she's writing._

_KK: We're called the Three Stooges, by our friends!_

_Mario: We're not that stupid though._

_Pwale:…I BELIEVE IN THE FLYING WILD MUSHROOM SEED!_

_Blake: Now, do you **think** that someone like her could own these characters? They're too…normal. Which is actually saying a lot._

_KK: But at least we have…drum roll please…**ULTIMATE PROWESS**!_

_Everyone: …_

_Mr. X: Okay guys, let's just walk slowly, **very** slowly, away…far, far away…_

_Blake: Oh, and if the first paragraph sounds weird it's because Pwale was singing it as she wrote it._

_Readers: …_

_Pwale: Well, he rode down to Miss Mouse's door-_

_Lawyer #1: No she wasn't singing that song._

_Pwale: Miss Mouse's door-_

_Lawyer #2: You don't own that song either!_

_Pwale: …(stares at him)…it's a folk song…_

_Lawyer's: So?_

_Pwale: YOU CAN'T OWN FOLK SONGS! Not the **real** folk songs. _

_**G**_

_**The Stamp Of Gold**_

_**Time For The Kids**_

_By Pwalefriend_

In the early morning, that dawned bright and sunny, it was the day of the children's birthday. And what a birthday it was to be. So in the early morning, which dawned bright and sunny, Shippo decided to cause a little trouble. So instead of waking up to the sunlight, as they were accustomed to doing, everyone in the mansion woke up to the same sound. It was the sound of firecrackers exploding. And then they all had to say, what a way to kick a birthday party off.

Kagome, on the other hand-

"Shippo!" She yelled. "Come out here right now!"

"Kagome!" She heard his little voice cry out from somewhere nearby. "Save me! He's gonna kill me!"

"Of course I'm going to kill you, you little runt!" Came Inuyasha's voice. Kagome blanched.

She still hadn't faced Inuyasha. She wondered if he knew that she had almost gone back on their deal and left.

"Where the hell do you get off, setting off bloody _firecrackers_ at this hour! You stupid or something? I'm _really_ going to kill you this time, runt!"

Well, Kagome's maternal instincts kicked in right there.

"Sit!" She yelled, drawing on the secret knowledge she had acquired from her numerous brooding memories of their prior fights. For some reason, every time she said _sit_ there would be a huge BOOM and then silence shortly followed by a lot of swears. This time was no acceptation.

Shippo darted out from one of the nearby rooms.

"Wow, Kagome!" He said, looking up at her admiringly. "That's the best birthday present ever!"

Kagome gave a mock bow.

"My pleasure, Shippo." She said. Then, raising her voice, "You stay away from him today, Inuyasha! It's his birthday, so you can't hurt him today! Think of it as a birthday present, since I doubt you got him one!"

"I did too!" Inuyasha shouted back. "You ungrateful wench, be a little nicer why don't you!"

His words may have been harsh, but he couldn't keep the grin from his voice and Kagome heard it. She felt incredibly relieved, knowing that he wanted to put it all behind them just as much as she did.

"Hmph." She said. "Come Shippo, let's leave this unsavory company and go jump on the girls."

Shippo and Kagome joined hands and stalked away, leaving Inuyasha behind, feeling as if he was about to start dancing.

"I love the world!" Inuyasha said happily. Miroku, who had just come around the corner and heard him, immediately ran to tell Kaede that Inuyasha was dying.

After, if it wasn't one thing at the Feudal Era Mansion, country home of the infamous Takahashi family, it was two things and then some.

_**G**_

The celebration was definitely something to remember. Everyone turned out in their best garb, and it filled the Grand Hall to bursting. Even the rail men, who had heard of the festivities from Koga and Miroku, stopped in to give the birthday monarchs their best wishes.

For the occasion Sango and her band of merry servants had transformed the colorful and extravagant hall (all thanks to a mural painted by certain someones) into a colorful and extravagant ballroom. Inuyasha watched quietly and silently as, once again, Kagome whirled happily across the ballroom floor in the arms of Koga.

On a raised platform several servants, ones who could play exceptionally well, were performing a jaunty and ridiculous tune about a Frog that wanted to marry and Mouse.

"Froggie went a-courtin' and he did ride, a-huh, a-huh-" The young man sang. In front of the platform Shippo and Satsuki, who both wore crowns (seeing how they were the birthday monarchs) danced clumsily but happily.

'_How do they manage to dance to **this** song, of all songs?'_ Inuyasha was wondering when he felt a tap on his shoulders. He turned to find Sesshomaru standing behind him. Inuyasha's hackles immediately rose.

"So," Sesshomaru asked slyly, idly sipping his punch. "Have you made up with Kagome yet?"

Inuyasha growled.

"I don't know what you're talking about." He snapped.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about, Inuyasha."

"I haven't the faintest idea, actually."

"Yes you do."

"Prove it."

"You're in love with her."

Inuyasha, about to respond, froze and starred at Sesshomaru, totally horrified.

"…_Where the hell did you get that idea!_" Inuyasha demanded.

"It's written all over your face, little brother." Sesshomaru stated, as cool as ever. "You can't hide it from me."

"Oh can't I?" Inuyasha smirked. "You were the last one to figure out about Kikyo and me." Sesshomaru shrugged.

"That wasn't love." He said. "This is."

"And how do you know?" Inuyasha demanded. "Besides, even if I did love her, she doesn't love me back."

"So you admit that you love her?" Sesshomaru smirked. Inuyasha gaped.

"When did I say that?" He hissed.

"You just did. You said _even if I did_, which is as good as admitting it."

"It is not!"

"So there really is something to admit?"

"Wha-"

"What are you two doing?" Kagura asked, coming up from behind Sesshomaru. Sesshomaru turned and looked at his wife.

"Inuyasha's madly in love with Kagome and just swore to marry her within the year." Sesshomaru said with a straight and serious face. Kagura blinked at Inuyasha.

"Inuyasha," she said. "Are you sure that you want to fight Koga for her?"

"I didn't-" Inuyasha started.

"He-" Sesshomaru said at the same time. Then they both stopped. Kagura sighed. These two may have been geniuses about everything else, but when it came to people they were as stupid as the rest of the crowd.

"What?" They both asked. "What about Koga?"

"You haven't noticed?" Kagura asked. She pointed down at the dance floor where Koga and Kagome were still happily waltzing. "He's been chasing her like a bitch in heat."

"Now," Sango said, magically popping out of nowhere and scarring the bajeebies out of Inuyasha. "Those are harsh words." She reprimanded. "Sure, he's after her, but bitches in heat are a lot more vocal (to put it one way) about their affections."

The others stared at her.

"HOW DID YOU DO THAT!" They demanded. Sango blinked.

"Do what?" She asked.

"That…that…_thing_!" Inuyasha said, gesturing wildly. Sango looked blank for a moment, and then smirked.

"Oh, you mean this thing (as if I didn't know)?" She said.

Romance? Of course they had romance! They just got…sidetracked easily.

…

_**G**_

"Kagome," Koga said. "What's your favorite color?" Kagome looked up at him in surprise.

They still danced, but not as fast as before, allowing for conversation.

"I don't really have one." Kagome said. "Why do you ask?"

"Just curious." Koga said. "Of all my friends, you're the one that I know the least about. So why not find out some basic information? What's your favorite food?"

"Well," Kagome said thoughtfully. "It changes about every week, but today I'd have to say…strawberry shortcake. I just _love_ strawberry shortcake."

"I've never had it." Koga said. "My favorite food is shrimp in garlic sauce."

"Really?" Kagome said, surprised. "I've always found that the garlic is a little to strong, and the smell is long lasting."

"Fascinating."

Upstairs, the conversation was about one thing (namely talking like this) and downstairs the conversation was about favorites. Shippo, who was watching, wondered if Angst was dead.

The answer? Not _dead_…exactly. _Dead_, it's such a _strong_ word…

"-You went up to the crazy vampire and tried to eat it?" Kagome was asking Koga with raised eyebrows when Miroku joined them at the lunch table. Miroku's expression twisted into one of wariness.

"Not _eat_." Koga protested. "The biting thing was on accident. I meant to just give him my teddy bear, he just looked so sad."

"Both of you?" Miroku interrupted their conversation. "How about you drop that very confusing and disturbed…uh…topic, for Kagome, you are to do the toast."

Kagome stared at him.

"Aren't people supposed to be warned before hand?" She asked. Miroku winced.

"Well, normally, yes. But, um…well, to put mildly-"

"He forgot." Koga translated. Kagome nodded.

"Yes, I picked up on that." She said. "But-…" When she trailed off and stared fixated at one spot the two men looked to where she was looking and froze.

"What are you guys staring at?" Sango asked, coming over. She followed their gaze and shrugged.

"Well," she said. "It was bound to happen sooner or later." Everyone whirled around to stare at her then.

"_What!_"

"What's all the commotion down there about?" Sesshomaru asked Inuyasha as they leaned over the balcony, side by side. Inuyasha pointed at two little figures.

"That." He said. Sesshomaru looked and, well…looked.

Shippo and Satsuki were standing together, both looking at the floor and blushing furiously. They were awkward and they kept shifting their weight. And those were the only more obvious signs.

"Huh." Sesshomaru said. "When did they fall in love? Aren't they a little young for that?"

Rin sat in the empty stall of the horse that never came home anymore. She didn't understand why she felt so sad. She shouldn't, and she felt guilty for feeling so sad. It was her friends birthday, she should be happy for them and for their newfound affection for one another…but…

But she didn't want to be alone. She _desperately_ didn't want to be alone. Even now she wouldn't have been able to stand being alone in the stable if a mother cat and her kittens hadn't been curled up in the corner. Their gentle breathing soothed Rin as her turbulent emotions brought back memories better left alone.

_Her throat hurt. Someone was screaming. They had to stop screaming, if they kept screaming then she would be found. Her eyes, clamped shut and burning with shame and guilt and salt, didn't see it waiting. She didn't know that it had been her screaming until the teeth were around her neck. Its teeth were warm and smooth. Odd, she had thought that they would be cold. The pain, it was-_

"Rin?" A quiet voice asked. Rin, jolted out of her horrid reminisces. Kohaku hovered above her, looking worried. "Are you okay?"

Rin, without another word, stood and threw her arms around his waist, and began to cry. Kohaku, blushing and trying to stop stuttering, awkwardly turned and sat against the wall with her on his lap. While she cried, he cradled her to him.

Suffice to say, Satsuki wasn't the only girl who got a crush that day.

_**G**_

_Well, was that satisfactory? I hope it was._

…

…

_My Review Lion is in shock over…well…she watches Buffy with me and we sort of skipped the sixth season and started on the seventh and…um…well…never mind. We just both love Spike, and…it's just so…adorable._

_Yes, we know that there's something wrong with us. For instance, I shouldn't be writing this at all. _

_So, tah tah._

_TTFN, tah tah for now._

_Sincerely_

_Pwalefriend_


	24. All The Pretty Little Horses

_**A special thank you to…**_

_**Y .A.R**_

_**The Lonely Bird**_

_**dragonflamez13**_

_**sweetrosie**_

_**Mistress of Demons**_

_**Sakurascent**_

_**TouchofPixieDust**_

_**crazypicciloplayer014 **_

_**Punk Rock Miko2**_

_**Clouds of the Sky**_

_**MeiunTenshi**_

_**ffgirlmoonie**_

_**Smiley Gurl 87**_

_**Avelyn Lauren**_

_**Goddess of the Moonlit Sky**_

_**cookies-will-invade**_

_**AznxAngel**_

_**Al: Me is sorry. **_

_**Boylessgirl52941**_

_**readingwriting wench**_

_**Remenescent**_

_Disclaimer:_

_Jenny: We don't own the characters._

_**The Stamp Of**-_

_Readers: Hey! Wait a minute! (They glare at Inuyasha, who is looking up at them from his card game, rather surprised at their sudden manifestation) _

_Inuyasha: …What the hell?_

_Readers: Where's this disclaimer!_

_(Inuyasha points up the page)_

_Readers: That's it? No funny script? No weird joke? No total rambling nonsense!_

_Inuyasha: Pwale just watched Humphrey Boggart…is that how you spell his name?_

_Readers: …(They walk away. For who can win in the face of such random nonsense?)_

_Pwale: By the way, I'll be at camp for the next two weeks, but I come home on the weekends, so I'll update if I can but I'm not promising anything._

_Al: …(sniff sniff) I LOVE TAMORA PEIRCE! ROCK ON DAINE! **ROCK ON**!_

_Lia: Did Al just say 'Rock on'? _

_Pwale: Don't steal my shtick._

_Calcifer: What the hell are you people going on about?_

_**The Stamp Of Gold**_

_**All The Pretty Little Horses**_

_By Pwalefriend_

_This chapter (though slightly depressing) is dedicated to a dear friend of mine, in what is all that I can offer as sympathy for her loss._

_I'm sorry that you have to feel this particular pain, my dear. I really am._

It was still winter. The snow had melted, but the sky, bleak and dark, promised a new onslaught. It was very cold on the plains and a harsh wind blew, drying the tears on Kagome's face and making her red eyes burn even more then they already were. She clutched an old horse blanket to her small frame. Now, to her, it felt even frailer then ever. Not like when she played with the children or argued with Inuyasha. Not like when she danced with Koga or walked with Sango. Not like when she smiled with Miroku or gossiped with Kagura. Not like when she was _happy_ or _angry_. The letter that she clutched in her hand, as if it would just disappear if she held it hard enough, was the source of her misery.

_My Dear Kagome-_

_I wish that I could write to you with good news from your home, but I'm afraid that I can't. I'm so sorry, Kagome._

_There's been an accident, love. Now, I don't want you to get alarmed, but Grandfather's taken ill. Your father's old colleague, Mr. Lee, his son is in medicine and they kindly decided to take a look at Grandfather._

_Kagome, it doesn't look good. According to the doctor's, it's all in Grandfather's head. But he's not getting any better._

_Sota and I send our love, Grandfather wanted to send a mummified hand, but I'm afraid that the post wouldn't let us. _

_Thank you so much for what you're doing for us._

_Sincerely_

_Mother_

It wasn't a long letter, but the tiny slip of paper had the same impact as a fist in her gut.

What was she supposed to do now?

Shippo was desperate. That was his only excuse. He had asked everyone from Sango and Miroku to that talking cat in the forest that only he could. And no, he wasn't insane, he asked the Elementals and apparently it was some sort of disappearing grinning cat from another world. It was rather complicated.

But none of them had seen or heard from Kagome that day. Not even the talking cat that only he could see. So here he was, outside of Inuyasha's doorway. When he opened the door and stepped in a strange noise made him pause.

"Inuyasha?" He called. The noise stopped. "Are you ringing a _bell_?" Inuyasha stuck his head past the doorway so that he could see Shippo.

"So what if I am!" Inuyasha demanded heatedly.

How could they be aware of pain, if they didn't know that there could be pain?

Riddle me that, if you can.

_**G**_

When Kagome found them they were prancing in the breeze, their manes dancing and their breath coming out in little clouds. The ground beneath their hooves shook with each step that they took. They were like thunder and lightning, as different as they come yet working together in perfect harmony. Kagome knew immediately that what she had so innocently stumbled on was one of the beautiful and hidden secrets and mysteries of the Feudal Era Mansion. A stallion and a mare that danced together, with the Earth as their music, in a pen made of all the types of woods.

Tetsusaiga and Tensaiga.

_**G**_

That night the dinner in the kitchens was quiet. Most of the servants had gone to bed early, for tomorrow was the day when the supply train came and if you _ever_ wanted to get some supplies for yourself before they all ran out then you had to get there _early_.

But even more so, there was something in the air. There was something that forbid conversation, and for the life of her Sango could not figure it out. It weighed on their shoulders like a boulder on a paper, keeping it down on the ground though the wind tugged and pulled at it in vain.

Kagome abruptly stood and put away her dish.

"Goodnight, all." She said with a nod in their general direction. She left the room, and the tension disappeared.

"_What the hell was that_?" Sango hissed at Miroku, who sat across the counter from her. He shrugged.

"Someone's…dying…" Kanna said in her soft way. Miroku and Sango looked at her in silence, the tension coming back full-force. Both of them were thinking the same thing.

'_There is **no way **that she can be that creepy by accident.'_

_**G**_

The next day, after lessons, Kagome returned to the horse pen in the middle of the plains where the stallion Tetsusaiga and his mare Tensaiga resided. She had (quite undetectably) done some research and had discovered that Tetsusaiga (who used to be the lead stallion of the herd) was Inuyasha's own personal horse.

But Inuyasha hadn't ridden nor even seen him for years.

The same could be said for Tensaiga, except, well…she was Sesshomaru's horse and he probably had forgotten about her.

Kagome held out her hand, she wanted nothing then to go for a ride. Tetsusaiga came trotting over, his black coat gleaming in the cold winter sun. With a note a of surprise she saw that he was an Arabian, one of the best horses on the market.

And a pure bred Arabian, as he clearly was, was _extremely_ and _shockingly_ expensive.

Where _did_ Inuyasha get all that damned _money_?

Tetsusaiga almost, well, stomped on and killed her. Now to be fair it wasn't exactly his fault. It works something like this…

Horses have an incredibly strong Fight-or-Flight instinct. They are social animals and travel in herds; each herd has one 'Herd Stallion' who is the alpha. Sometimes the alpha will allow other of-age stallions to remain in the herd, but not often. At least not in the wild.

Domesticated stallions are often turned into geldings and there for pose no threat and are allowed to stay.

It is _exceedingly_ rare, but has happened, that a stallion will find a human (in this case a _female human_) to be a threat to their dominant status. In those instances, they will attack.

The human must win.

When Tetsusaiga reared up, his forelegs thrashing with murderous intent, Kagome was ready. With a practiced skill that she had developed in the city (she and her brother had gotten along fine with the police, but their horses had never liked either of them very much) Kagome leaped up and grabbed his bridle. With all her weight she pulled him back to Earth and, without a moment to lose, blew in his nostrils to familiarize him with her scent.

After a what must have been hours of struggle the stallion, the infamous Tetsusaiga who no one would approach (not even Kanna) for fear of Death (by his hooves or Inuyasha's claws, no one was really sure which), lowered his head and allowed a young teacher to ride him.

It was the second step towards the end of our story.

And the first step towards Healing.

_Now_, my dear readers, we're getting somewhere.

_**G**_

_Well, I daresay that I am the first person to depict Tetsusaiga and Tensaiga as horses. If you know of another story that does, please tell me I would love to read it. _

_The Review Lion is **back and better then ever**!_

_If you were wondering where she's been, she's been on strike. But we gave her her own room and she's ready for the job, so don't think you'll be getting off as easily anymore. Oh, and the A/N stuff was only 4 pages long this time. (Looks around egily)_

_I'M GETTING BETTER!_

_The story **does** outweigh the A/N!_

_Well, see you next time_

**_ROAR! ROAR! ROAR!_**

_See? You better Review._

_Sincerely_

_Pwalefriend_


	25. Sol

_**A special thank you to…**_

_**dragonflamez13**_

_**The Lonely Bird**_

_**sweetrosie**_

_**Punk Rock Miko2**_

_**silverkonekotsukari **_

_**Mistress of Demons**_

_**Remenescent**_

_**Hearii-sama**_

_**AznxAngel**_

_**WhyWhatShutup**_

_**Sakurascent**_

_**Clouds of the Sky**_

_**bdrake07**_

_**Kyorose**_

_**Avelyn Lauren**_

_**Smiley Gurl 87**_

_**Goddess of the Moonlit Sky**_

_**Ginny**_

_**MeiunTenshi**_

_**Animekitty07 **_

_Disclaimer:_

_Pwale: Okay, I am **really** running out of script ideas. So if anyone has any, tell me!_

_Mr. X: Oh! Oh! I know! I know!_

_(Everyone looks at him)_

_Mr. X: How about a **hippo** attacks!_

_Everyone: …(The just keep staring at him)_

_Pwale: …Okay, even **I **can't work 'We don't own the characters' into a script where a **hippopotamus** attacks._

_(Mr. X looks triumphant and Pwale, realizing what she just said, then she hits her forehead)_

_Calcifer: Now **that** was good._

_Lawyer #1: Well, he wasn't picked for this case for nothing._

_Everyone: Huh?_

…

_**The Stamp Of Gold**_

_**Sol **_

_By Pwalefriend_

The Winter Solstice is a day and night to celebrate the arrival of the new sun as Winter ends and Spring finally starts to come.

And celebrate they did.

That day had been spent talking and laughing and trading presents among friends and family. Kagome had gotten a glass vase from the children, a new ribbon from Sango, a horse from Kanna (who had said that it was from Sesshomaru and Kagura), a kiss from Koga (she hadn't returned it, she hadn't had the chance and he didn't ask it of her) and some other things from people like Miroku and Kaede and even a few of the servants.

She had received nothing from Inuyasha, but she hadn't gotten anything for him either.

Why?

Not from lack of affection, I assure you. But instead due to a quite common problem that they were bother suffering.

They hadn't the slightest idea what to get one another.

In such situations, what _can _one give someone?

What did Inuyasha not already have?

What did Kagome _want_ that she didn't already have?

_And where they supposed to get it?_

"You know, my friend." Miroku said as Inuyasha sulked on his couch. "If you don't do _something _then Koga will take her away from you."

"Feh!" Inuyasha barked out. "Good riddance! I don't care."

He sulked for a moment more before looking worriedly at Miroku.

"Do you think she likes him?" He asked, though for the life of him he couldn't figure out why he cared. Miroku hid a smirk.

"Well," the young butler said happily. "He _did_ kiss her today."

"**_What_**!" Inuyasha bellowed, sitting upright. He stared at Miroku (who was trying very, _very_ hard not to fall of his chair laughing helplessly) in absolute horror. "He did _what_!" But Inuyasha must have seen something in Miroku's face for he sunk back down into his seat.

"Feh." Inuyasha said. "Doesn't mean anything. Besides, what did _you_ get_ Sango_?"

Inuyasha had asked the question with the intent to embarrass Miroku, but the effect was quite the opposite. Miroku grinned wolfishly and practically oozed satisfaction and joy.

"A ring." Miroku said. "Which reminds me, I came up here to ask for a vacation for Sango and myself."

"Why the-…" Inuyasha's mouth dropped open and he sat upright again, starring at Miroku in shock. "_You didn't_!" He said. Miroku nodded and Inuyasha grinned at him. "You sly _dog_!" Inuyasha said. "You never even admitted that you loved her!"

"Oh, contraire!" Miroku said, holding up a finger. "I _did_! Just not to anyone but myself!"

There was a knock on the door and Sesshomaru entered, glaring blackly at Miroku.

"This is all your fault." The older man said.

"What is?"

"That the girls are all sighing and dreamy." Sesshomaru said with a shudder of disgust. "And they're staring off into space with those expressions that you _know_ mean trouble to you."

"How is that Miroku's fault?" Inuyasha asked. Miroku nodded and Sesshomaru starred at them as if they were both idiots.

"It's Miroku's fault," Sesshomaru explained angrily. "Because he just _had_ to romantically propose!"

The other's didn't get it and Sesshomaru became convinced that they _were_ idiots.

…

Shippo was pacing in front of the pile of pillows in the nursery, holding a little package in his hand. Rin was watching him.

"Shippo, calm down!" Rin said. "You'll do _fine_!"

"Easy for you to say!" Shippo said, glaring at Rin. "What if she doesn't like me? _You_ aren't about to give a present to the girl _you_ love!"

"Well, no." Rin said. "I'm not. But I did already give mine to the boy I love, and it went quite well." That distracted Shippo.

"What?" He demanded. "Who?"

But Rin wouldn't tell him and so he went back to pacing, nervously pulling at his collar until Satsuki edged into the room a couple minutes later, clutching a brightly wrapped bundle to her chest. Rin chose that moment to tactfully fade out of the room, leaving, as she put it, the two little lovebirds to face their sheepishness alone.

…

A gaggle of servants were stitching at the Solstice Wreath when Kagome and Sango approached to put in their items that would be added to the wreath.

It was tradition, you see, that every Winter Solstice they would make a Solstice Wreath. And everyone in the mansion would tie a little trinket into the wreath, something with sentimental value, and at midnight they would burn the wreath. It was said to cleanse away bad memories and feelings and bless the good memories and feelings.

Sango silently tied in a little ribbon, it was a beautiful shade of lilac and it had been the first present that Miroku had ever given her. She hoped that the Solstice Wreath would bless her with good luck in her marriage with Miroku. She kept looking happily at the glowing golden ring that seemed to wrap itself around her finger. After she had tied in the ribbon she went to the serving women and they all gossiped, especially about Sango's upcoming marriage to the infamous and amorous head butler.

Kagome took a moment more, before she tied in, with a little bit of twine, a golden stamp. It had once belonged to her late father and it was all of him that she had with her. Or at least, that was what she had thought.

But Kagome had lately come to realize that she had her father's love with her, and that was all that she needed. And she _wanted_ to give this new coming year the memories of the old ones, to bless and cleanse as it saw fit.

If there was one thing you could always count on it's that Time goes on. And you'll feel alone one minute and crowded the next, but things change. They always will.

With a twinge of sadness but with a lot of hope Kagome finished the final knot on the tie and left the wreath to go gossip with the other women.

…

That night, when Kagome was busy kissing the sobbing Shippo's boo-boo all better, Inuyasha was the first, as custom demanded to set his torch to the large pile of logs that they had set up on the lawns. It was carefully placed downwind of the mansion, due to the prior fiasco no one was taking any chances.

When Inuyasha's torch caught the twigs at the bottom on fire and the stack then roared into heated life, the cheer that went up was enormous, and several people had broken down crying.

It had been a trying winter.

Miss Kagome had come, and brought with her much joy and pain. Memories had resurfaced for everyone.

Inuyasha liked to think that he knew everything, and he only. But there was nothing that you couldn't hide from the servants. And when you did hide it, then their speculations were much, _much_ worse then your secret.

After he threw his torch into the flames that now licked and pulled down at the entire stack Inuyasha leapt up and away from the beautiful firelight that flickered across his face.

For some reason, it made him sad. As if he were burning away something wonderful and safe.

"Feh." Inuyasha said, and practically flew away.

…

Kagome sat alone by the fire as it drifted out of life. It was early morning, too early for anyone, even the sun, to be up. She thought she was all alone, until a person settled next to her. She looked up and smiled happily when her deep brown eyes met with Inuyasha Takahashi's golden ones.

"Hello Inuyasha," she said. "I haven't been able to give you your gift yet."

Inuyasha looked down guiltily.

"Kagome," he said. "Maybe you should keep it, I didn't get you anything, and I couldn't find you anything…" But he trailed off when Kagome winked at him.

"Don't worry Inuyasha." She said. "I couldn't find anything to give you either, so what my gift is, is something that you can give me a little of too."

Inuyasha was confused. Kagome faced him with her legs crossed and motioned for him to do the same, so he mirrored her without question. She took his hands and looked into his eyes.

"Inuyasha Takahashi," she said solemnly, though her eyes twinkled merrily. "In face of the lack of ability I suffer to give you something material in celebration of Winter Solstice, I give you my friendship. For though we have certainly gotten closer, neither of us has quite dared call the other _friend_."

Inuyasha smiled. _Now_ he understood. Count on Kagome to figure something like this out!

"I gratefully accept your offer." Inuyasha said, gripping her hands a little. "And I return it with my own offer of friendship, twice more then I received."

Kagome's eyes narrowed.

"Then I give you thrice times more." She said.

"Four times more." Inuyasha said.

"Five times more."

"Six times more."

"A hundred times more!"

"_Infinity_ time more!"

"Oh!" Kagome shouted gleefully. "Infinity and _one_ times more!"

"You can't do that!" Inuyasha protested, absolutely outraged.

"But I just did!" Kagome said happily.

"But _infinity_ means _limitless_, there's no such thing as _infinity and one_!" Inuyasha protested.

"There is now." Kagome said, a smug grin on her face. The two looked at each other for another moment before bursting out laughing.

It felt good to be friends.

…

_I hoped you liked it!_

_I don't know if it'll go all that well, but I'll try to work on the next chapter at camp this week and I might update next weekend, but I can't promise anything. My friend from Turkey is going to be here so I don't know if I'll have the time to type up the next chapter. If I can't I'll once again give you a hint._

_Next time on The Stamp Of Gold_

"**_Wait, he was going to marry this lady!"_**

"_**Yay."**_

"…_**But…But…But…"**_

"_**Yea, we had much the same reaction."**_

…

"_**What are you doing here!"**_

"_**What am I-….I thought you were dead!"**_

"…"

"_**Wait a minute…you are dead! I killed you! What the hell is going on here!"**_

"…_**Divine intervention?"**_

"…_**I'm going to kill you."**_

"_**Well, it didn't work last time."**_

"_**That's it. You're going down."**_

"_**Running away now."**_

"_**GET BACK HERE YOU COWARD!"**_

…

_Once again, maybe not exactly like that but something to that extent._

_Well, farewell my friends. Farewell!_

_**Roar.**_

_And the Review Lion is still ready to pounce!_

_Sincerely_

_Pwalefriend_


	26. Piratical

_**A special thank you to…**_

_**dragonflamez13**_

_**Moccha**_

_**Esk42**_

_**Clouds of the Sky**_

_**Boylessgirl52941**_

_**sweetrosie**_

_**Avelyn Lauren**_

_**bdrake07**_

_**The Lonely Bird**_

_**Mistress of Demons**_

_**ffgirlmoonie **_

_**chiclet180**_

_**MeiunTenshi**_

_**Animekitty07**_

_**The rest are at the bottom.**_

_Disclaimer:_

_Pwale: RUN AWAY! RUN AWAY!_

_Everyone: Why! What's going on!_

_Pwale: There's an attacking hippo!_

_Everyone: **What**!_

_(A big brownish African mammal comes barging into the room)_

_Lia: …Pwale?_

_Pwale: (Huddling in the corner) Don't let it find me!_

_Al: …Pwale? That's a rhino, not a hippo._

_(Rhino bellows and then proceedes to hold them all at…er…tusk-point)_

_Pwale: Okay! Okay! I'll say it! Just don't hurt us! We don't own the characters!_

_(Rhino lumbers off)_

_Mr. X: That wasn't so hard, now was it?_

_Mario: (Popping into the room) Hey, did you guys see I rhino around anywhere? It seems to think that it's a hippo._

…

_**The Stamp Of Gold**_

_**Piratical**_

_By Pwalefriend_

…

"Kaede," Kagome said one morning, looking out at the slushy January grounds. Kagome had ignored this issue long enough.

When in a place where something happened, and everyone (but you) knows _exactly_ what happened, but nobody's telling you, well…there's only so long you can put up with it.

And Kagome had reached her limit.

"Kaede?" She asked again. It was after the children's lessons and she was helping her old friend by sorting herbs in the infirmary with her.

"Child?" Kaede asked.

"Who is Kikyo and why does Inuyasha hate her?" Kagome asked, deciding to go for the blunt and forward approach. Kaede sighed and shifted her weight so that she could watch Kagome's face.

"I knew that ye would be asking after this sooner or later." Kaede said sadly. "And I'm only telling ye because, by the looks of things, ye shall need to know the full of it.

"Kikyo was Inuyasha's fiancée many years ago." Kaede paused. "What's the matter, child? Ye look perturbed."

"_She was going to **marry** him?_" Kagome demanded.

"Aye." Kaede said.

"But…But…But…But…But…"

"Aye." Kaede agreed. "We all had much the same reaction. But, as bizarre as it may seem, they were very much in love."

Kagome's face contorted into a disgusted expression. The thought of _Inuyasha_ in _love_ with _anyone _was simply _ludicrous_! Kaede ignored her listener's air.

"Kikyo was a calm young woman who looked after all the youngsters in the mansion. Inuyasha was the temperamental young lord."

Kagome snorted. _'Was?'_ She wondered. _'He still **is**!' _

"No one was especially aware of anything between them." Kaede continued. "But one day, out of the blue, they announced their engagement.

"Nothing really changed in our lives after that, until Lord Sesshomaru, who had been to the East on a business trip, returned. And it wasn't so much him returning as it was who he brought with him." Kaede stopped talking and stared out the window of the infirmary for so long that Kagome thought that she wasn't planning on going on with the story.

"Who did he bring with him?" Kagome prodded. Kaede jerked, clearly brought out of her reminisces. She turned to face Kagome with a little wry smile.

"A beautiful and broken youkai." Kaede said. "Kagura."

Kagome blinked. She could _not_ imagine Kagura as broken. Sango, yes. Herself, yes. After all, she had seen both of those times. She could imagine Kanna and Kaede. Rin, Satsuki, hell. Even _Tensaiga_ was more likely to be found in such a wretched state then _Kagura_,

As if she sensed Kagome's thoughts Kaede nodded wisely.

"Aye." She said. "But it is the truth. Kagura and Kanna had suffered much at the hands of their own father, the man you know as Naraku Onigumo. Sesshomaru had found them, how and where I do not know, and had tried to rescue both of them, but only succeeded in getting Kagura.

"Now, as I'm sure you're aware, the Lord's have and unreasonable amount of honor and an insatiable need to always appear the hero."

Kagome nodded fervently, showing that she knew _exactly_ what Kaede was talking about. Why, just yesterday she had complained about her pencil being blunt and Sesshomaru and Inuyasha had battled over who could sharpen it with his finger nails better. In the end they had resorted to blows and she had gone to get a pen from Sango.

"Well," Kaede went on. "Naturally both Inuyasha and Sesshomaru tracked Naraku down so that they could rescue Kanna, and since they were working together, the rescue went off without a hitch. Except for one small detail.

"Naraku wasn't there."

'_Damn Kaede and her story telling abilities!'_ Kagome cursed as she found herself leaning forward to catch Kaede's next words. But she had to admit; the story _was_ getting pretty interesting.

"Naraku," Kaede said. "Appeared at the mansion before they could return and swore to curse Inuyasha. Kikyo, who had stayed behind, was the one who ran him off. At first we were all worried about the curse and were careful with absolutely everything.

"But the curse came in a way that none of us could have foreseen." Kaede stopped here for dramatic effect, and looked down with saddened eyes. Kagome resisted the urge to roll her own eyes. She was _sure_ that the old woman was only doing this for the response. But Kagome knew that is she didn't take the bait she's never find out what this "curse" was. So she bit, hook and sinker.

"What was the curse?" Kagome asked. Kaede looked back up at Kagome with a twisted smile.

"Ourselves." Kaede said. "Just ourselves. If there is one thing that Naraku can exceed at, it is reading relationships. And he saw what no one else had seen in one certain relationship."

Kagome's eyes widened. If this was going where she _thought_ it was going…

"_Kikyo_…" Kagome gasped. Kaede nodded.

"Aye, _Kikyo_." Kaede agreed. "Shortly after Naraku placed the cure Inuyasha and Kikyo had a horrid fight. The rest of us had to leave the mansion for a while it was so disturbing. Only a few of us stayed behind to make sure that things didn't get out of hand. I was one of those few.

"The fight was wretched. Even those who merely listened wanted to start crying. Just like a child does when his parents argue oh so loudly at night. That fight was the end of their relationship, and of Inuyasha's happiness. He might have been alright if not for Kikyo's last words to him."

Again Kaede stopped and again Kagome prodded her to go on in her tale.

"What were Kikyo's parting words?" Kagome asked. Kaede looked as if her heart was breaking and Kagome _might_ have felt guilty is it weren't an incredibly suspenseful and _drastically _cheesy "touching moment".

"She said," Kaede began. "'_I am ashamed to have ever known you. I can only pray that someday I will have the honor of the chance to cull you._'"

Kagome frowned.

"Cull?" She asked. "But that refers to-oh…"

"That refers to the slaughter of a lesser beast?" Kaede finished. "Aye."

Kagome suddenly felt the desperate urge to pull Inuyasha into a big bear hug. She knew how sensitive he really was, and she had seen first-hand how deeply those words had cut him…_but_...

"Kaede?" Kagome asked. "Is there something you're not telling me?" Kaede looked confused.

"Nay." Kaede said. "I told ye all that I know. But Faith, do not tell Inuyasha of our conversation. He will surely throw a tantrum if he learns of it."

"I won't tell anyone." Kagome said absentmindedly. Something was bugging her about the story. It seemed awfully _one-sided_ to her. And if there was one thing that Kagome knew it was that there was no such thing as a one-sided truth. Maybe Kaede was biased?

"Kaede?" Kagome asked. "What was your relationship with Kikyo?" Kaede looked up from the herbs she had returned to sorting.

"With Kikyo?" Kaede repeated in surprise. Then she looked sadder then ever before. "She was my daughter.

No more words passed between the two herb-sorting women until it was time for Kagome to head to Inuyasha's rooms for _her_ lessons. They exchanged a cordial farewell and Kagome walked to the door. But just as she was about to walk through it she heard Kaede say-

"And the worst part? Kikyo said it calmly and walked out softly. She _meant_ it."

Kagome could think of nothing to say to that. This woman was obviously in pain because of the old memories that Kagome had dredged up. What _could_ she say? Then something that her late father had once said to her came floating to the front of her mind.

"_When you can't say anything, silence speaks loudest."_

So Kagome just looked back, met Kaede's eyes once, and left.

…

The next day was Kagome's day off, but she simply wasn't up to going to town. So instead she took a nice long ride in the forest with Kagura and Sango.

"Kagome?" Sango asked after a while. "Are you all right?" Kagome looked at her friend in surprise.

"Of course I am." She said. "Why wouldn't I be?" Sango shrugged.

"I don't know." Sango said. "It's just that you've been awfully quiet all day."

"She's right, you know." Kagura joined in. "Is something bothering you?"

"…No." Kagome lied. "I just didn't sleep well last night." Well, at least _that_ was the truth. In a way…In the strictest fashion, naturally. She hadn't gotten much sleep the prior night because her head had been spinning and there was that little thing that kept nagging her, but she couldn't quite figure it out.

She had almost had it while reading a particular section from one of Inuyasha's magic books. Something about a mystical power called the Shikon no Tama, which had then led on to the three worlds, then Yin and Yang, the scales of Good and Evil, etc. etc.

Maybe she's re-read that part on her-

Kagome's thoughts snapped to a halt when the three women rode into a small clearing to find a bizarre and rather random sight.

There was a huge ice demon, that looked like a very big yeti, and it was accosting…

"You know," Sango said thoughtfully as if she were discussing the weather. "The yeti is weird enough, but what is a _salesman_ doing here?"

Sure enough, the random yeti was about to eat a random salesman in the middle of a deep dark forest. It was almost as odd as that Flying Spaghetti Monster event.

Kagura was frowning at the salesman, who was in turn frowning at her.

"What are you doing here?" The salesman demanded. Kagura gaped in outrage.

"What am I…_What are **you** doing here? **I thought I killed you**_!" Kagura yelped.

Kagome, Sango _and_ the yeti all stared at Kagura.

"Um…" The salesman said, looking very nervous.

"Wait a minute!" Kagura screeched, perfectly outraged. "I _did_ kill you! _How the hell are you here_?"

"Divine intervention?" The salesman volunteered cheerfully. Kagura twitched and the three spectators decided to get out of the way.

"_Why you_…" Kagura hissed, her hands tightening on the reins till her knuckles were white. Her horse, a light and sure-footed bay, seemed to sense her displeasure (if you could call it that) and began to paw the ground in excitement.

"Now, now." The salesman said in a manner that he must have thought was soothing but was really just infuriating. "There's no need to get angry."

At his tone Kagura snapped.

"That's it!" She screamed. "I'm going to kill you!"

"Well, it didn't work last time, did it?" The salesman pointed out. Kagura's bay lunged forward and it's rider livid.

"_You are DEAD_!" Kagura howled.

"Going away now!" The salesman said and then zipped off into the forest, Kagura right behind him.

Silence rang supreme.

"…I was going to eat him." The yeti said in a rough, gravely and strangely forlorn voice.

"That's disgusting." Sango said. The yeti stiffened and then turned to look at Sango and Kagome, a sly look on his face.

"Sango!" Kagome hissed, trying to back up her filly without making any sudden movements. Sango realized what she had done.

"Oops." Sango squeaked right before the yeti attacked.

"_RUN!_" Kagome screamed as she and Sango wheeled their horses around and dived wildly into the underbrush of the snowy forest. The yeti was at their heels and they could feel his hot breath at their backs. Fear welcomed Kagome into its embrace and she fell swiftly into it.

She didn't know when or where she was separated from Sango, but the yeti must have deemed her the better catch for it kept on after her.

The trees began to thin out and hope, beautiful shining hope, rose up in her. But it came crashing down when she burst into the clearing where the Tree grew and found that she didn't remember how to got back to the mansion from there. She turned around her nervous and testy horse and the yeti burst through the foliage, panting and grinning.

"Well run, girlie." The yeti said triumphantly. "But time's up."

"Eek!" Suddenly the salesman burst from the woods behind Kagome. "Wrong way!"

"_You_!" The yeti howled angrily, then lunged toward the salesman whose expression darkened with fear.

For Kagome the world slowed down. She calmly watched as the yeti lunged past her, reaching his long claws towards his prey. She knew that she should feel frightened, but she didn't. All she felt was the over-powering urge to _protect._

The salesman took a step backwards and when he did Kagome suddenly knew, for a split second, exactly _how_ to protect.

She lifted her hands and when she did light streamed from them, glowing and burning.

She closed her eyes and had a slight sensation of falling.

…

When she opened her eyes Sango was kneeling over her, she could see Kagura a little ways away, but there was no sign of the yeti or the salesman.

Kagome whimpered as she felt the acute pain in her head.

"Kagome!" Sango breathed in relief. Kagome smiled weakly at her. "How do you feel?" Sango asked, still worried.

"Ghastly." Kagome said. "What happened?"

Sango's expression changed, and she and Kagura shared a look. Kagome understood then.

She understood everything.

She stood up and coldly walked away.

"You know," she called over her shoulders. "Someone might have told me that I was a witch."

…

_**A supercalifragilisticexpialidocious (or however you spell that) thank you to…**_

_**Hearii-sama, Punk Rock Miko2, preistessmykala, readingwriting wench, Goddess of the Moonlit Sky, Smiley Gurl 87, silverkonekotsukari, alchemistgrl09, Al, total-manga-freak!**_

_**Wow! So many of you guys reviewed that I couldn't put it all up at the top of the page like I usually do!**_

…

_**Yes, I know. Cliffie. I'm sorry! I just have one more week of camp and then I'll be done! I'm sorry! **_

_**I have to go now!**_

_**Please review! And to all who left food, thank you. I forgot to leave food for the Review Lion so she's really grateful! **_

_**So Review!**_

_**Sincerely**_

_**Pwalefriend**_


	27. Opportunity

_**A special bow of gratitude addressed to…**_

_**Avelyn Lauren…Clouds of the Sky…Mistress of Demons…AznxAngel…Hearii-sama…Moccha… dragonflamez13…Kannilala…total-manga-freak…MeiunTenshi…angelfeet…sweetrosie…Punk Rock Miko2…chiclet180…Miss BinKy…silverkonekotsukari…Smiley Gurl 87…Dannika Bakker…Sakurascent…Animekitty07…alchemistgrl09… readingwriting wench…Goddess of the Moonlit Sky…TearStainedLife…ffgirlmoonie…TouchofPixieDust…**_

_**bdrake07… Al.**_

_Disclaimer:_

_Pwale: Well, once again I find myself at a loss of what to write for a script. _

_Mr. X: Does this mean that you aren't going to write one to explain how you don't own the Inuyasha characters today?_

_Pwale: Yep._

_Mario: …Hey! Wait a minute!_

_Pwale & Mr. X: Hee hee hee!_

…

_**The Stamp Of Gold**_

_**Opportunity**_

_By Pwalefriend_

…

"Kagome! Please come out!" Sango cried, pounding on the door. It had been a week since the incident with the salesman (who had disappeared into what was seemingly thin air) and a week since anyone had seen or heard Kagome. If it weren't for the Elementals they would have thought that she had run off in the night. But the Elementals had confirmed that she was, indeed, still in her room and that she was, indeed, still furious.

It was beyond everyone how she was surviving, since there was always someone at her door trying to reason with her. She didn't have a _chance_ to sneak out to eat or to drink or to relieve herself! People stood guard even at night!

The worst part was that Inuyasha was getting angry and threatening to some down himself, despite everyone's guarantees that it would only make the situation the much worse.

Now, _normally_ people would have said "Leave her alone and she'll calm down".

But Kagome Higurashi had just discovered that she was a Witch. And yes, that it different from a _witch_. A _Witch_ (with a capital W) has _real_ Magick, while a _witch_ deals with pure science, such as herb lore. Admittedly witches usually lose sight of that science part and rely heavily on superstition.

Both of these are incredibly different from the famous Which, who we're not going to go into right now.

Witches (with a capital W) are infamous for their foul tempers when they find that something important has been kept from them. Almost all of the those Evil-Faeries-Who-Did-Not-Get-Invited were actually Witches-Who-Did-Not-Get-Invited-And-Then-Got-Really-Really-Mad.

So you see, everyone was more then a little worried about what would happen if they left Kagome on her own and she used her new-found powers to get even.

Everyone that is, except for two people. One of them being, obviously, Inuyasha. The other was a little less conspicuous.

"Sango?" Sango felt a little tug at the hem of her skirt and looked down to see Shippo looking up at her with his largest and cutest eyes. He was carrying a big bowl of hot soup that Sango could only assume was his lunch.

"Yes, Shippo?" She asked. Shippo smiled up at her.

"It's lunch time!" Shippo said. "You go have lunch. I'll stay here with Kagome!"

Sango sighed. She wasn't supposed to leave, but Shippo was just as nervous as the rest of them and she _was_ pretty hungry.

"Alright." Sango said. "Be good!"

"I will!" Shippo said a he watched her leave. As soon as she was out of sight he grinned happily and knocked three times on the door. He paused a moment, then knocked two more times. The door swung open and Kagome grinned down at him. Shippo scampered in.

"Here Kagome!" Shippo said, presenting his friend with the bowl of soup. "I brought you some lunch!"

"Shippo you're a doll!" Kagome said joyfully, reaching for the soup. "You have no idea how hungry I am."

Shippo and Kagome sat on her bed, both eating Kagome's soup (Kagome eating it and then occasionally feeding Shippo a bite with her spoon) and talking about the events of the past few days and what Shippo had managed to discover on his missions.

Yes, you read that right dear reader. On his missions.

And they weren't revenge missions this time either.

Oh no.

This time they were missions of utmost secrecy.

Missions to find out what the hell was Inuyasha's problem exactly because Kagome wasn't leaving her room until he came down and apologized to her for keeping something this important from her because _whoo-ee_, was _she_ pretty damned pissed about it.

So angry was she that she had taken up swearing on a normal basis.

"Lady!" Suddenly Clingy popped up in that surprisingly way that is his want. "The coast is clear Lady!"

Meaning, of course, that Kagome was free to go and relieve herself as long as she was _very_ sneaky about it. She hopped up.

"Be good, Shippo." Kagome said. "I'll be right back." Shippo nodded his consent and/or agreement (even he wasn't really sure which was which and which he meant or what they meant). Kagome grinned at him, ruffled his hair, and then bounded from the room.

"…Fox-Child?" Clingy chirped after a moment of silence. Shippo looked at the Elemental. Clingy was frowning at a piece of paper on Kagome's desk. "Fox-Child, what does this say?" Clingy asked.

Now, the Elementals _do_ have superb intellect and Clingy _could_ read. He just could not read this particular letter. The handwriting was atrocious.

Shippo rose to his feet and approached, frowning down at the letter which he, having poor handwriting (not to mention spelling) himself, could read perfectly.

"_My Dear Kagome-_

_I wish that I could write to you with good news from your home, but I'm afraid that I can't. I'm so sorry, Kagome._"

Shippo didn't stop there, he read the entire letter. And when he was done he grabbed it and fled the room, gasping and near tears.

Shortly after his departure Kagome returned.

"Shippo?" She called, looking confused. She turned to Clingy, who was positively baffled.

"Where's Shippo?" She asked. Clingy shrugged and zipped out of the room for his sister had just told him of Sango's approach. Kagome hastily shut and locked the door.

"Where's Shippo?" Sango asked no one when she came back. Behind her and out of sight Clingy shrugged again and then zoomed up to the Master's rooms, where he knew Shippo was headed and where he knew a drama was about to unfold.

Inuyasha looked up from his little invention (just a little mechanical device from over-seas that he was toying with. He wasn't exactly sure what it was supposed to actually do) when Shippo came ramming into his room.

"_INUYASHA_!" The little kitsune screamed, startling Inuyasha to the fullest extent. "_YOU BASTARD!_"

Inuyasha fell out of his chair.

Okay, he wasn't a big part of the kid's life or anything, but he _knew_ that small kids weren't supposed to use those words! Obviously Inuyasha must have done something really horrible this time or else Shippo wouldn't-

"_WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO KAGOME'S GRANDFATHER_?" Shippo demanded. Inuyasha's eyes narrowed and he stared at him in disbelief.

"Have you finally cracked, runt?" Inuyasha wanted to know, he was _actually_ concerned. "I've never met the geezer. What _are_ you talking about?"

Shippo threw a piece of paper at his chest and as he read it Inuyasha's face became paler and paler and colder and colder.

By the time he was done he was furious with Kagome for keeping this from them.

…

Well, actually his heart was saying 'from him' but he was just going to ignore that.

…

Yeah…He…er…He had bigger problems at the moment…

_Short. Long delay. Me tired now. Me sleep now. Me is sorry for delay but have to blame Jane Austen and Agatha Christie for inventing such absolutely captivating characters. Not my fault. I generally don't like TV. Don't know why I said that. Me go to bed now. _

_Bye bye!_

_Sincerely_

_Pwalefriend_


	28. Friendly Business

_**A special thank you to…**_

_**Kannilala…The Lonely Bird…bdrake07…ffgirlmoonie…Goddess of the Moonlit Sky…Punk Rock Miko2…Avelyn Lauren…Smiley Gurl 87…AznxAngel…MeiunTenshi…**_

_Disclaimer:_

_(In a small café in a little out-of-the-way village in Wales)_

_Pwale: We are here to discuss a very important matter. Are we all present?_

_Inuyasha: Koga isn't here._

_Sango: And neither is Miroku._

_Pwale: …_

_Mr. X: Speaking of which, I haven't seen them in a while…_

_Blake: Pwale? Something you want to tell us?_

_Pwale: …Kagome has a bondage fetish!_

_Everyone else: **WHAT? YOU HAVE A WHAT?**_

_(In the castle, more specifically in Pwale's closet)_

_Koga & Miroku: 1003 bottles of beer on the wall, 1003 bottles of beer, take one down, pass it around, 1002 bottles of beer on the wall…_

_(on the closet wall they have stenciled these words)_

_Pwalefriend does not own us. Pwalefriend does not own us. Someday we will be free!_

_P.S. For some reason, there are coffee stains on my computer. I drink coffee while writing sometimes, sure. But I don't **splatter** my Mac with the stuff. What **did** people do to my computer in my two week absense! I just felt like sharing this._

_**The Stamp of Gold**_

_**Friendly Business**_

_By Pwalefriend_

**Happy Birthday AznxAngel! Whether it be belated or early, happy birthday!**

 **  
**

When Sango heard the pounding feet coming her way, she was surprised. But it was _nothing_ compared to her total shock when Inuyasha _actually_ came around the corner. Sure, he had _threatened_ to come down, but no one had actually taken him _seriously_. Coming down to get Kagome would have completely blown his cover!

After all, the only people who knew about Kagome and Inuyasha's friendship (besides themselves) were the Elementals. And _they_ certainly weren't telling.

Inuyasha slammed into the door.

"_KAGOME_!" He roared. "_WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING, KEEPING THIS FROM US_?"

There was only silence from the other side of the door, until.

"I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, _MR. TAKAHASHI_," Kagome spat at him. "BUT I'VE BEEN MEANING TO ASK YOU THE _SAME THING_!"

"DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT?" Inuyasha shouted. "I'LL TELL YOU WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT!"

"Um, Inuyasha…?" Sango whispered as he brandished a piece of stationary at the blank door. Her efforts were useless and as Inuyasha read the letter Miroku, Shippo, Sesshomaru, Kagura and Kohaku all came around the corner just in time to hear it.

"_My Dear Kagome-" _Inuyasha read.

"_I wish that I could write to you with good news from your home, but I'm afraid that I can't. I'm so sorry, Kagome._

_There's been an accident, love. Now, I don't want you to get alarmed, but Grandfather's taken ill. Your father's old colleague, Mr. Lee, his son is in medicine and they kindly decided to take a look at Grandfather._

_Kagome, it doesn't look good. According to the doctor's, it's all in Grandfather's head. But he's not getting any better._

_Sota and I send our love, Grandfather wanted to send a mummified hand, but I'm afraid that the post wouldn't let us. _

_Thank you so much for what you're doing for us._

_Sincerely,_

_Mother_."

Inuyasha, when he finished reading, glared at the door.

"_Mind explaining_," he hissed. "_Why you didn't tell any of us about this_?"

"**WELL LET ME THINK FOR A MINUTE HERE, INUYASHA**!" Kagome screamed at him; her voice was choked with unshed tears. Inuyasha winced inwardly. It hadn't been his intention to make his friend cry. "**MAYBE BECAUSE IT'S _NONE OF YOUR BUISNESS_**!"

Now, _that_ got him angry.

"OF COURSE IT'S MY BUISSNESS YOU STUBBORN WENCH!" Inuyasha bellowed.

Sango was stunned. Even if it wasn't any of Inuyasha's business, it was _hers_. She happened to _know_ Grandfather Higurashi. Quite well actually, he had helped take care of her and her little brother after their parents had been killed in a trolley accident. Kohaku was just as shocked as her, she could tell by his chalk-white face.

"YOU'RE MY _FRIEND_!" Inuyasha yelled at her. "OF COURSE IT'S MY BUSINESS TO KNOW WHEN MY _FRIEND_ IS HURTING!"

Once again his answer was silence, for Kagome had collapsed on her bed, fighting back her sobs.

As subtly as they could Sesshomaru and Miroku rushed to the window to look for any more signs of an Apocalypse. They didn't actually _believe_ in the event, but it was the only explanation _they_ could think of for Inuyasha's sudden…behavior.

'_Did he just call her…a friend?_' Shippo wondered, absolutely bewildered.

Clingy, along with a rather large group of other Elementals, were all hiding up in the rafters and bobbing up and down in excitement. This drama was even better then the drama with that horrid Kikyo woman!

Kagura sighed happily. Could it be? Dared she hope? Was she finally going to get that sister-in-law that she'd been waiting for all these years?

Diabolical plans began to form in _that_ lady's head.

"Open up, Kagome." Inuyasha said.

"No!" She said, still angry and now sad as well. "Go away!"

Inuyasha, looking around him and noticing for the first time his audience, signaled for them all to leave. They all did so, except for the Elementals who deemed it not the right moment for their exit.

Also, Inuyasha didn't see them so they were free to spy as long as they wanted.

When he was sure that everyone was gone, Inuyasha placed one finger on the doorknob. If you had been watching you would have seen a tiny golden spark jump from Inuyasha's finger to the metal and then you would have heard the _click_ of the door unlocking itself.

Kagome stared in surprise, her eyes red and her nose redder, when the door was quietly pushed open and Inuyasha stood in the doorway.

Inuyasha blinked as the smell of saline barraged his senses.

Oops.

He hadn't meant to make her cry, he really hadn't.

He covered the distance between them with two long strides and settled on the bed next to Kagome. She just watched him, unable to stop her tears. He watched her back.

"First the letter." She whispered. "Then I find out that I'm a Witch. And _then_ Clingy tells me that everyone knew it, and no one told me! _Why didn't anyone tell me!_"

"Because we didn't think that you needed to know." Inuyasha said, a little guiltily. "We thought that maybe you wouldn't ever find out and that if we secretly taught you _just_ _enough_ to keep you from losing control of your powers completely, it would be fine."

"But _why_?" Kagome demanded. "Don't I have a right to know? Is there any other little detail about me that you're all keeping to yourselves? Anything else that you hope I'll _never need to know_?"

"Because. Yes. No. Yes." Inuyasha said, answering each of her questions directly and individually. That got her suspicion. She glared at him.

"And what are these things that I'll _never need to know_?" She spat. He flinched and looked away from her burning gaze.

"Just…things." He said. Then, to cover up his concern, he added haughtily, "Things that a Lady shouldn't know."

Kagome snorted.

"You forget far too easily, Inuyasha," she said disdainfully. "That I not only grew up in a city, but that I was one of the few women actively a part of Academia. I have _said_ things that would make any _Lady_ die of embarrassment."

Inuyasha frowned. She was right, of course, he had forgotten.

"But still!" He protested, loathe to admit that she was right.

Kaede sat with Kagura and Sango at the long counter in the kitchen. Activity was at an all time high (it was only an hour till dinner) and due to the noise their conversation was impossible to eavesdrop on, much to Clingy's (who was hiding in the kitchen rafters) dismay.

"So," Kaede said slowly. "Apparently our Inuyasha and our Kagome know each other far better then we supposed."

"Kaede, he called her his _friend_." Sango said excitedly.

She was sad about Grandfather Higurashi, but her friend and lord finally healing the wounds on his heart was much more important at the moment.

Kaede stared at Sango, then at Kagura.

"Gather all the women in the building with any skill at matchmaking." Kaede ordered briskly. "We have been given a chance."

Kagura smirked.

"Now _that_ is what I like to hear!" She chortled happily as Sango went off to complete the mission.

'_They won't know what hit them_!' Sango thought triumphantly. Upstairs Kagome and Inuyasha paused a moment in their arguing.

"Are your ears burning?" Kagome asked him.

"Yes." Inuyasha said. "Yes they are."

They shared a look. They had a _bad_ feeling about this.

_Wow, can you believe it? I updated so **fast** this time!_

_Feel better?_

_But no, seriously, I don't think I have ever updated this fast before. Even if I write the chapter this fast (which only ever happens once in a blue moon) I usually give time for more people to review. Wow._

_Well, REVIEW!_

_**Roar**!_

_That's right! You heard her!_

_HEAR THE REVIEW LION AND OBEY!_

_And since her trip to Fiji (don't know why she went there in the first place) she's made some new friends._

_So, while my Candy Monster's are on Holiday you face the **Review Lion** and her horde of **Review Ninja's**!_

_WHAT NOW!_

_Sincerely_

_Pwalefriend_


	29. Unleashed

_**A special thank you to…**_

_**ffgirlmoonie…The Lonely Bird…Punk Rock Miko2…dragonflamez13…sweetrosie…Goddess of the Moonlit Sky…Hearii-sama…Mistress of Demons…Moonlight Radiance33…bdrake07…pure'ternity…silverkonekotsukari… Smiley Gurl 87…Clouds of the Sky…IamHermioneGranger…xXxSuzukixXx…Avelyn Lauren…Airya…Animekitty07…Sakurascent…MeiunTenshi…TwilightZelda…total-manga-freak…Al…premierarchange…Watching Eternity…Kannilala… Y .A.R…chiclet180…Boylessgirl52941…angelfeet… readingwriting wench…**_

_Disclaimer:_

_(still in that little café) _

_Pwale & Al & Lia: …Sigh…_

_Blake: Do you guys realize how disgusting that is?_

_Mario: They guy's a total pedophile!_

_KK: Seriously, hitting on a **6th grader**!_

_Mr. X: And no 6th grader has boobs like that girl does!_

_Inuyasha: …Okay, I just came back to the table and I am **sure** that I don't want to know what you're talking about._

_(Pwale angrily closes the lid on the lap top that she and the other two had been sighing over)_

_Pwale: Go away Inuyasha! I'm **glad **that I don't own you or your friends! I want to own…(sigh)…them…_

_(Pwale opens lap top and points at the screen, where she has the anime Loveless on pause)_

_Al: OOO! IT'S JUST TOO CUTE!_

_Lia: Sigh…_

_Pwale: I love anime…especially shonen-ai anime…_

_Mario: …Well, to quote the anime that you three are fawning over…_

_Blake: HENTAI!_

_KK: I quite agree._

…

_**The Stamp Of Gold**_

_**Unleashed**_

_By Pwalefriend_

…

"This, Kagome," Kagura said. "Is a Scale. Not a _scale_, but a _Scale_."

They were in Inuyasha's room, the same one that Kagome read in, but the window was wide open and it was broad daylight outside, instead of near nightfall. Outside Kagome could hear the Spring birds start to arrive, though the ground was still covered in wet and cold white. Golden sunlight filtered in and dappled them room with color.

It was a beautiful time to start learning how to hone ones self and ones powers.

Inuyasha was sulking in the next room, and his blatant pouting energy was going to cause a little problem, but they would deal with that later.

He was sulking because he wasn't allowed to help with Kagome's new lessons in the ways of a Witch, since Kagura had deemed such lessons highly taxing on a maiden and the results (and the state of dress since beginners often got overheated) was not appropriate for a man's eyes.

Actually most of that (except for the getting overheated part) was a total fabrication. But Inuyasha, who was (surprisingly) not learned in the ways of a Witch, didn't need to know that.

Koga was sulking downstairs, angry that he hadn't been the one to get Kagome out of his room.

Miroku was sulking outside by the stables since he was having a fight with Sango about something silly.

Sesshomaru was sulking somewhere (he never told anyone where he was going and when he was sulking he was always _subtle_ about it) because Kagura had kicked him onto the floor the prior night when he had started talking in his sleep about cat-girls and giant robots. There was only so much a woman could take in one night!

What were robots, anyway?

And several of the male servants had decided that they should sulk too, for two reasons.

One: A bunch of the women had been acting suspicious lately.

Two: All of the lords were doing it and you know what they say, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

And if the Lords were buttered up enough, then maybe the servants would finally get that vacation that had been put off since…well, actually no one could remember ever going on a vacation.

…

"Close your eyes." Kagura ordered, placing two stones on the on the Scale. Kagome had picked them randomly from a collection (Inuyasha's old crystal collection, actually) they were exactly the same but Kagura had made one a little heavier using a spell.

"Picture the Scale and your stones, one of these stones on each side." Kagura began to pace, going for a rhythmic timing. She resisted the urge to smirk in self-satisfaction. She sounded like the guru-man from India! Ooo! This was _fun_!

"Which is heavier?" Kagura asked. "Tell me just by focusing your mind. Do not open your eyes. Just focus."

Kagome frowned and focused. She imagined the cool feel of the golden Scale, it was smooth and when you touched it you could feel the gold under your fingers. The gold wanted to move and roil and burst from it's confining shape but was unable to merely because of it's temperature. Oh, how it wished that someone, some kind, _kind_ person would see it's pain and have it melted then sent down a river. But people could not see it's wish, and so it was destined to forever unwillingly serve.

Kagome wanted to cry. The poor Scale!

"Focus." Kagura said, wondering why it wasn't working already. "Focus, Kagome."

Kagome frowned and focused on the rocks, but as she began to picture them in her mind red hot pain erupted behind her eyelids and she let out a little scream as she clutched her head and fell out of the chair.

In the next room Inuyasha flinched and leapt to his feet.

What was that? Was that Kagome? It had sounded…was Kagome in pain? Was she? She couldn't be! But what if she was? What if she was horribly hurt?

Frightening images of what might have happened to Kagome ran threw his head as Inuyasha tried to decide if checking up on them would be worth risking Kagura's wrath. All the while Kagura was asking Kagome is she was alright, what was wrong, was there anything that Kagura could do?

Yes, Kagome replied. Nothing, Kagome replied. No, Kagome replied.

But Kagura was not to be dissuaded and soon went off in search of some water for the poor girl, and some lunch. She seemed to be berating herself for overworking Kagome's raw powers, while she was inwardly congratulating herself on her excellent performance. The plan that she and the girls had worked out couldn't have been a better one.

She stood outside the door a moment and waited for the tell-tale sounds of Kagome's "strange" discomforts.

For you see, dear reader, Kagome was a beginner at the practices of a Witch. And as such could not be expected to achieve very much at her first lesson. To attempt such a feat would almost always cause acute discomfort for the new Witch.

Once she was alone, and once the pain struck again, Kagome would be in quite the unfortunate situation, with only Inuyasha to comfort her.

If there was one thing that Kagura had to give to the servants, it was that they really knew how to set a couple up.

…

Kagome sat in the chair, or rather, she had crashed and was now painfully burning in the chair. Her head felt as if it were about to split right open and when Kagura had left the room a horde of invisible spiders had come and were now climbing all over her. From this opinion she was not to be dissuaded. She didn't _care_ if there was no such thing as invisible spiders that come to climb on you when you're alone, for she certainly was not so suddenly ill as to have poor nerves! Humph. She'd defy anyone who questioned her on this manner.

That is to say, after she'd finished dying.

Kagome, the comfort of the room totally forgotten as now it just felt stuffy and small, slipped from a chair and whimpered on the floor, ashamed of her own pathetic position.

Inuyasha, who had his ear pressed up against the door, burst through it when he heard her fall and her whimpers.

"Kagome!" He shouted. "Are you alright?"

She was slumped on the floor, her face twisted in agony and he could smell her sweat and fear. Well who wouldn't be afraid? It wasn't every day that one just fell down with a sudden horrendous affliction with mysterious and likely mystical origins! Especially not when one puts it like that.

Inuyasha's worry grew. What the hell?

"Does it look like I'm alright?" Kagome snapped back at him. He looked at her, a little hurt. Kagome felt a little guilty, he was only worried about her after all. She tried again.

"Inuyasha? I'm not exactly _okay_, but I'll be fine. Kagura's going to get…water…I think…" Kagome frowned. Her head was now feeling extremely heavy, and her eyelids had just become weights.

"Kagome…" Inuyasha knelt beside her. "I'm sorry. Is there anything that I can do?"

'_Damn.'_ He thought. _'What just happened? Why is she suddenly so hurt?'_

"…Um…" Kagome looked up at him and Inuyasha frowned when he saw how glassy her eyes were. "Inuyasha? Could you take me to my bed?"

"What do you-" Inuyasha started to ask her what she meant but before he could finish his sentence she had collapsed on top of him, fast asleep.

He stared down at her. She didn't look in pain anymore. She looked, dare he say it, peaceful where she was in his lap.

He was about to get up and carry her to his room but something stopped him. Maybe it was the way the tension melted from her body. Maybe it was the way the fear disappeared from her scent, leaving as beautiful and calming as he ever thought it. Maybe it was the way she seemed to…_grow_ as she rested on him. Maybe it was that when his arms encased her it felt so right that he couldn't move away. Maybe it was his own sudden contentment with the situation. Maybe it was all these things.

And maybe it was something else.

…

"**_MISS SANGO! MISS SANGO!_**" The young servants woman came racing in the room where Sango, Kagura, Kaede and a few other of the matchmaking women were giggling over their success.

"What is it girl?" Sango asked. The maid tried to say something, but she had obviously just run as fast as she was able and she was quite out of breath.

When the girl was able to speak again she made even less sense.

"They're here!" She screeched. "Oh! _They're here! They're here! They're here! **Here**_! _CAN YOU BELIEVE IT_!"

"No." Sango said, rightfully baffled. "I can't. Since I don't know what you're-"

"Sango!" Came a new voice, familiar only to Sango, who froze immediately. "I haven't seen you in forever, love! Do you know, if I didn't know better I would have thought that your younger brother was waiting for us? It's amazing who those two can always bond so quickly."

Sango looked up, along with everyone else, to see (to their indescribably shock) a middle-aged woman with a kind, loving and open face. Miroku stood behind her, holding a carpet bag, and just as shocked as the next person.

Mrs. Higurashi had come to the mansion.

…

_Well? There was fluff, there was fantasy, there was a plot twist that I don't think **any** of you saw coming, and I, as always, left you with a cliffy. _

_I think that I answered your requests, except for the one about Koga. His absence shall be explained in the next chapter, fear not._

_**Roar!**_

_Yes, the Review Lion is still doing her job! NOW REVIEW LEST YOU FACE OUR COLLECTIVE WRATH!_

_Sincerely_

_Pwalefriend_


	30. Come Together III

_**A special thank you to…**_

_**Watching Eternity…MuffinLass…Smiley Gurl 87…bdrake07… Y .A.R…sweetrosie…ffgirlmoonie…Goddess of the Moonlit Sky…Fyre Tiger Hanyou…TwilightZelda…Airya…chiclet180… Punk Rock Miko2…Tainaco…Hearii-sama…dragonflamez13… Sakurascent…The Lonely Bird…silverkonekotsukari… MeiunTenshi…angelfeet…total-manga-freak…Avelyn Lauren…alchemistgrl09…Kyorose…AznxAngel…Al… readingwriting wench…Mistress of Demons…Inudaughter…TouchofPixieDust…MuffinLass…**_

_Disclaimer: _

_Pwale: What a day!_

_Jenny: What a terror!_

_Pwale: What a song!_

_Jenny: What a pain!_

_Mr. X: Er…why are they singing?_

_Al: Who knows?_

_Sesshomaru: I think it has something to do with the suddenly lack of items on the floor._

_Inuyasha: Yeah, why did they clean?_

_Lia: We're having a party!_

_Inuyasha: Why?_

_Kagome: To celebrate that Pwale doesn't own us._

_Everyone: Ahh._

…

_**The Stamp of Gold**_

_**Come Together III**_

_By Pwalefriend_

…

_**Important Note**: I am going to be on a trip for the next eight days, I'm sorry about the long delay and the short chapter but I've been sort of distracted lately, namely my school gave me even **more** work to finish before the 30th. I wasn't planning even on updating, but I figured that I better do something before certain individual ripped my head off. Sorry!_

…

When Kagome awoke it was late afternoon and the sun was giving the world its last red blessings. Her head was pounding and she could taste bile in her throat. Her eyes opened slowly and then widened when she saw her mother's face.

"…Mama?" Kagome asked. Mrs. Higurashi smiled kindly and smoothed Kagome's bangs.

"Hello Kagome." Mrs. Higurashi said kindly. "We thought that we'd come to visit."

"We?" Kagome was confused. "Are Grandpa and Sota here too?"

"Yes, they're here." Mrs. Higurashi said. "Now get some rest Kagome. We want you to get better. Mrs. Kagura and Sango told me all about what happened to you, so sleep."

"…Okay…" Kagome whispered before she drifted off again.

Mrs. Higurashi sighed and continued to sit with her daughter well into the night.

…

Grandpa Higurashi glared at the hanyou lord who stood before him, trying to look as imposing as he could from a wheelchair.

Inuyasha glared back.

So, this was the man who had been stupid enough to get sick and make Kagome cry (Inuyasha never really thought things through, he was a very emotional boy).

"What have you done with my granddaughter?" Grandpa Higurashi snapped harshly.

He was also the man who had been guided by, most unfortunately, Miroku to Inuyasha's rooms, and had been the one to stumble across Inuyasha with Kagome in his lap. Awkward moments and much blushing had ensued, and Mrs. Higurashi and Sango had rescued Kagome from the tug-of-war game that Inuyasha and Grandpa Higurashi had been playing with her unconscious body.

"What do you mean, what have I done with her?" Inuyasha snapped back. "I haven't done _anything_ with her!"

"Then why is she working for you if you haven't done _anything_ with her?" Grandpa Higurashi demanded triumphantly. Inuyasha started to respond, but then stopped when he realized that he didn't have any idea _what _the old geezer had just said.

'_Isn't he supposed to be dying?'_ Inuyasha wondered. He knew it was cruel, but this old man was just so…lively!

"Demon be gone!" Grandpa Higurashi shouted, and threw a handful of the white 'holy' powder he had been hiding up his sleeve. It landed on Inuyasha and his red haori was peppered with white.

Inuyasha began to slowly back away from the crazy old man.

"…Why did you just throw parmesan cheese at me?" Inuyasha asked slowly, almost afraid of the answer. This explained _so_ much about Kagome.

"It isn't parmesan cheese!" Grandpa Higurashi protested angrily. "It's holy powder! Passed down for generations in my family!"

Inuyasha bent his head and licked at some of the white substance, tasting it.

"Nope." He said. "This is definitely parmesan cheese."

"Why you-"

"Don't 'why you' me, old man!"

At that moment Sesshomaru and Miroku arrived and interfered before the two could kill each other.

…

"Hey Shippo!" Kohaku called, racing down the hallway to where the younger boy was playing by himself. "Shippo!"

Shippo looked up in surprise. Since when did Kohaku run around, let alone raise his voice? Shippo then noticed, with no lack of curiosity, the new boy who was walking at a slower pace behind Kohaku. This new arrival bore a strange resemblance to Kagome, and Shippo took an immediate liking to him.

"Shippo, this is Sota. Sota, this is Shippo!" Kohaku said, gesturing and wildly exited. "Sota's Kagome's brother!"

"_Really_!" Shippo's interest peaked. He jumped to his feet and looked avidly at the older boy.

"Uh…yeah…" Sota said, a little unnerved by the attention.

"Is she _really_ a girl?" Shippo asked. "Because _I_ don't think she is, but Rin and Satsuki say that she is! But _I_ say that it doesn't count! Because girls are icky and she isn't!"

"Shippo, Kagome's a real girl-" Kohaku started to say.

"Shippo, Kagome is in no way a real girl-" Sota started to say at the same time. Kohaku turned to Sota.

"How can you say that?" Kohaku asked, horrified. "She's your _sister_!"

"That's why she isn't a real girl!" Sota said.

"But-"

"Kohaku." Shippo said wisely. "Is _Sango_ a real girl?"

Kohaku, thinking about that for a moment, paled as all the blood ran screaming from the awful thoughts in his head.

"Ewww." Kohaku said. "That's _gross_!"

Both Sota and Shippo nodded.

"That's why girls are icky." Shippo said. Kohaku shuddered.

"I _never_ want to imagine _Sango_ acting like a _girl_ and _giggling_ and _gossiping_ and having _cooties_…" Kohaku swore fervently. "_Ever again!_"

"What do cooties look like anyway?"

And so began another conversation, one which Rin and Satsuki, when they stumbled on the boys shortly afterwards, joined in on.

Well, as I'm sure you can imagine, from the point on the fun just didn't end.

…

_Yes, I'm sorry about it being so short. I really am. But I had to update with **something** before I went away!_

_Well, enjoy the rest of your summer vacations people! Since I'm **finally** getting to go on a **real** vacation, I'll only write if I feel like it. NO WORK! NO WORK!_

_(Pwale looks guiltily at the horrid pile of homework that she's had the past two months to complete)_

_Er…I mean…No…(looks around nervously)…No…Oh, screw this. NO WORK! NO WORK!_

_Roar?_

_No. You have to work._

…_Roar._

…_.You wouldn't dare._

_Rorowll!_

_Okay! Okay!_

_Roar._

_The Review Lion is going on vacation too, she-what?_

_Roar._

_Okay, she's going to the…Are you serious?_

_Roar!_

_She's going to Atlantis, which has, if this brochure she just handed me can be any sign, been converted into a relaxing and spa-filled resort for those characters who are subjected to fanfiction. And apparently since non-humanoid OC's are so rare these days they get a 75 discount…Sw33t. _

_Roar._

_So yeah, that's where she'll be. If you need to contact her, leave a message with one of her Flying Ninja Monkey Assistants, they'll be standing by at the front desk of my castle in Wales. _

_But please, she doesn't want to be under a lot of stress with a huge pile of work waiting when she comes back so have a little compassion and review? _

…

_Please. Think of the children._

…

_Sincerely_

_Pwalefriend_


	31. Nostalgia

_**A special thank you to…**_

_**Goddess of the Moonlit Sky…ffgirlmoonie…manga-is-my-anti-drug…The Lonely Bird…Sakurascent…Mangasfan…Avelyn Lauren…MuffinLass…Fyre Tiger Hanyou…Mistress of Demons…sweetrosie…bdrake07…Al…Smiley Gurl 87… TouchofPixieDust…Hearii-sama…readingwriting wench…alchemistgrl09…Just another hopless romatic…AznxAngel…chiclet180…MeiunTenshi… Watching Eternity…Punk Rock Miko2…AngelMiko289… twinkle-twilight…**_

…

_**And thanks to all the people who wished me a happy trip, it was delightful, except we had a red-eye flight back…**_

_Disclaimer:_

_Inuyasha is staring down in horror at a piece of paper. A contract to be more precise._

_Inuyasha: Please tell me that…that this…isn't what it looks like._

_Pwale: What does it look like?_

_Inuyasha: Well, it **looks** like a contract that states that you own me and all products thereof._

_Pwale: …And?_

_Inuyasha: …Feh. _

_Pwale: …Is it 'Feh' or 'Keh' that means something in Yiddish?_

_Kagome: …What the heck are you two talking about?_

_Pwale: I tricked Inuyasha into signing the above contract in his sleep. _

_Sesshomaru: Well it's good to know that I'm not the only one._

_Inuyasha: The contract includes you._

_Sesshomaru:…I will now kill myself._

_Pwale: YOU CAN'T DO THAT, HUBBY DEAREST! I OWNZ YOU!_

_Shippo: …And they wonder why I never come out from under the bed…_

_At this moment all hell erupts, that is after Pwale asks her sister EBF if she can borrow it, and everyone is screaming and fighting over the contract, it's a total mad-_

_**RIIIIIIIP**_

_They all turn to see that the Review Lion, coming home from her relaxing vacation to Atlantis, has ripped up the contract._

_Lawyer #1: You know, there isn't really any disclaimer in that._

_Lawyer #2: You have to read between the lines._

_Lawyer #1: Oh…._

_Mr. X: RL, you have **no** idea how glad I am to see you… _

…

_Note: I'm so sorry for the delay. Right after I got back from my trip school started and that took up a lot of my time._

_I'm going to a new school this year, and they give more homework and run a lot later, so I won't have as much time to write, but believe me. I'll do the best I can. I love fanfiction, I need to write like this to keep sane._

…

_**The Stamp Of Gold**_

_**Nostalgia**_

_By Pwalefriend_

…

"Hey Inuyasha…" Kagome said, looking at her companion from across the table where they were both working. Inuyasha had been doing a research project and Kagome had needed to grade papers that night, so they had left off their lessons to work.

Inuyasha grunted noncommitedly.

"Do you remember when I first came?"

Inuyasha grunted again, he wasn't really listening.

"I think that Koga was drunk."

Inuyasha grunted again. All he had heard was 'Koga' and 'drunk'. Nothing was much of a surprise there.

"Did I ever tell you that he hit on me?

Inuyasha started to grunt, and then what she had said sunk in. He jerked up to glare at her.

"He did _what_!" He snapped. Kagome nodded, frowning.

"Don't glare at me like that." She bossed. "It's not _my_ fault. And I _did _maul him with my bag!"

"But he…he…" Inuyasha stuttered. Kagome rolled her eyes.

"And it's not as if he hasn't done it since." She said.

"_WHAT_!" Inuyasha yelped, getting to his feet. He gaped at her.

"Huh?" Kagome looked at him. "You haven't noticed?"

"I thoughtthat _you_ hadn't noticed!" Inuyasha pointed an accusatory finger at her. "WHY HAVEN'T YOU SENT HIM OFF?" He demanded. Kagome shrugged.

"I tried at first." She said. "But then it got to be too much bother. I've just been pretending to not notice." Kagome went back to reading her papers, completely oblivious to the look Inuyasha was giving her.

'_This girl is scary…'_ Inuyasha thought. _'She's pure evil…I wonder if she would do that if I-…._' But he cut off his thoughts right there.

"…Hey Kagome?" Inuyasha said after a minute or two. Kagome looked up at him. "What's this thing supposed to do?" Inuyasha jerked a thumb at the purple beads and teeth strung round his neck.

Kagome shrugged.

"I'm not really sure." She said. "Haven't you taken it off yet?"

"No way!" Inuyasha shrieked. "It's cursed!"

"…All the more reason to take it off then…" Kagome said slowly. Inuyasha shook his head fervently.

"The last time I took off something that was cursed without knowing what it was I went crazy."

"Ohhh…" Kagome said, nodding wisely. "Yeah, now I get it…yeah, I see…"

"See what?" Inuyasha asked.

"I wondered why you were a homicidal maniac." Kagome said. "Obviously you're still cursed from last time."

"Why you annoying wench!" Inuyasha gasped, half amused, half annoyed.

"Quiet boy, or I'll throw my banana at you." Kagome threatened, holding up an orange.

"Kagome, you throw that banana, quote un-quote, at _me_, and I'll throw my…_plum_, quote un-quote, at _you._" Inuyasha said, holding up a handful of figs.

And so the night continued. I'm sure you can imagine it, the joked and laughed and remembered all sorts of things that had happened to them. Both the good and the bad.

They remembered that strange day better left forgotten, when the Flying Sphagetti Monster had come to call.

They remembered the night when Inuyasha had found the mural on the wall.

They remembered trees, old wells and snow falls.

They remembered snow ball fights, hot cocoa and the promise of friendship that they had made to eachother.

But most of all, what they always remembered, was that most of the time they were always together.

"Is it just me," Kagome said hesitantly when it was time for the pair to part ways. "Or did we seem to rhyme a lot tonight?"

"You know," Inuyasha said. "I was just going to mention that."

Kagome smiled.

"Good night Inuyasha." She said, giving him an unconscious peck on the cheek (by 'time to part ways' I mean, look! Is that the sun I see starting to rise?). "We'll deal with my family in the morning."

And with that she left to go to bed (at about 6 am)

Inuyasha just stood still, completely inert.

Had that just…Had she just…Naw. No way. Not gonna happen.

Inuyasha, in fact, was still trying to get over his shock enough to stand up when Miroku came in to ask if Inuyasha was going to join them for breakfast.

When Inuyasha told Miroku to order up a-

"Bento lunch box of Kisses and must move. I need sleep…Is it dinner time already?"

Miroku got the feeling that it was going to be a very…_interesting _day.

…

_Once again, SORRY! _

_My fault totally, and I have no excuse, only my own laziness._

_I will face all watermelons, flaming torches, axes and badgers of anger that someone and everyone may/will want to curse me with._

_For as long as I have my Orange Stick of Doom, none of you can be as scary as Al, who you owe this chapter to._

…

_Roar…_

_See! Even the Review Lion is scared of her! _

_THAT LADY IS SCARY!_

_She made me clean my room!_

_No, Al isn't my mother. She's a friend. Which makes it even scarier…._

_Well, sorry again!_

_Please review!_

_Sincerely_

_Pwalefriend_


	32. Return

_**A special thank you to…**_

_**bdrake07…Goddess of the Moonlit Sky…Punk Rock Miko2…MuffinLass…Avelyn Lauren…angelfeet…Miko-Sakurako…Amaya Mishugosha…Al…sweetrosie…Y .A.R… Clouds of the Sky…ffgirlmoonie…Mistress of Demons… alchemistgrl09…chiclet180…The Lonely Bird…readingwriting wench…MissMee…manga-is-my-anti-drug…TwilightZelda…AznxAngel…MeiunTenshi…Sakurascent…TouchofPixieDust…AngelMiko289 (who has remarkable timing)…**_

…

_Disclaimer:_

_Pwale is banging her head against the wall, muttering about how she was mad to want to go to a theater school. Everyone else is just watching her. They're passing around the popcorn and having a grand old time, thouroughly enjoying Pwale's suffering._

_Pwale: It's not even the end of the first month and I already have more classes then I know what to do with!_

_Inuyasha: And less time to torture us with!_

_Pwale, hurt, stomps from the room._

_Kagome: Do you think we were to harsh?_

_Lia: Nah._

_Al: She brought it on herself, not having any ideas for this disclaimer and all._

_Mr. X: Speaking of which, shouldn't we say something._

_There is a moment of silence while everyone thinks for something to say. Finally, Jenny shrugs._

_Jenny: Pwale doesn't own the Inuyasha characters._

_The others look at her._

_Jenny: What? We're not Pwale so we don't need to come up with anything funny._

_The others agree that this is a very good point and tell Pwale to get on with the story._

_I'm sure that you're all agreeing with them._

…

_P.S. My computer jingles when I type…It scares me…_

…

_**The Stamp Of Gold**_

_**Return**_

_By Pwalefriend_

…

"Mom," Kagome had asked her mother later that day. "It's not that I'm not pleased…but why are you, Sota and Grandfather here?"

And so had started an interesting conversation between the mother-daughter duo. Or at least, it was interesting to them. But since you, as the reader, wouldn't really care, I'll summarize.

Grandfather's illness had gotten worse, and they had discovered that the source of his disease was in his lungs. As we all know, city smog is never good for you, and it's even worse for elderly individuals with lung sicknesses that have really long names that no one can spell. But even with Kagome's financial help the family had been unable to afford tickets to come to the country.

Then one day Sota had come home with three train tickets to the Feudal Era! The very mansion where Kagome lived and worked!

Where had he found the tickets, Kagome had asked. Mrs. Higurashi had laughed and said that Sota _insisted_ that a hyper sapling had given them to him. This was, of course, total nonsense, but Mrs. Higurashi hadn't pressed the matter since those tickets were exactly what they had needed at the time.

Kagome had rolled her eyes. That was Mrs. Higurashi for you! If it was convenient then _she_ wasn't going to argue.

Besides…Kagome had a sneaking suspicion that Sota hadn't been making anything up after all.

Later that day Kagome got the chance to confirm her hunch.

"Lady!" Clingy called out as he grabbed on to her arm. "Lord says that he needs you immediately!"

"Just a moment Clingy." Kagome said firmly, holding up a finger. "I have a question for you."

Clingy bounced up and down in midair (letting go of her arm first, of course), confused. It was so rare that anyone but Inuyasha wanted to ask the Elementals something that when one did it was usually cause for concern. But this was _Lady_. She had never before given them any reason to distrust her…

"Did you give those tickets to Sota?" Kagome asked. Clingy paused a moment.

"Yes." He said eventually said. "We gave the pieces of train paper to the Lady's Little."

Kagome, after a moment of struggle, managed not to start laughing at the Elementals name for her little brother.

"'We'?" She asked instead. "Who's 'we'?"

Clingy just looked at her, clearly not understanding the question. It was then that Kagome remembered that the Elementals didn't have a sense of individuality.

"The Elementals, right?" She asked, trying to cover up her mistake. Clingy bobbed up and down. "Thank you, then." Kagome said. "My grandfather really needed them."

Clingy chuckled, I cannot tell you _why_ he chuckled for it was due to some arcane reasons that only the Fair Folk know. I, as a mere mortal, was not let in on the secret. Even though I _am_ the author, and should have been. The Fair Folk, remember this, bow to no one. Be they author or no.

"So what does Inuyasha want with me?" Kagome asked.

Clingy was confused by the phrasing of the sentence and thought about it. What _did_ Inuyasha want with Lady in the long run anyway? After a while, Clingy came to a solid and undeniable (to him anyway) answer.

"Wife." Clingy chirped happily. Kagome's eyes opened wide and her cheeks flushed bright red.

"_WHAT!_" She bellowed.

"Wife!" Clingy chirped again, liking this reaction. He flew ahead, leading the way to Inuyasha's rooms and Kagome followed behind, trying anxiously to explain to the little Elemental that _she_ wasn't anything_ near_ Inuyasha's _wife_. Her efforts were, of course, in vain. In fact they inspired and encouraged Clingy so much, that he came up with a little ditty to go with it!

Inuyasha knew, much to his mortification, that Kagome was just outside his door when he heard Clingy singing-

"_Wifey, wifey_

_That's what she is to him_

_Wifey, wifey_

_The Lady is the wifey_

_Through trouble and through strife_

_She will be his lovely wife!_

_Wifey, wifey_

_What a cute little wifey-"_

"**CUTE**!" Kagome roared. "**SINCE WHEN AM I _CUTE_**!** _AND I AM _NOT_ HIS WIFE_**!"

There was a startled squawk but Inuyasha, burying his nose in his book and trying to pretend that he couldn't hear them all too well, decided that Clingy could take whatever torture he thought (he hoped) that Kagome would deal the Elemental.

"_Why_," he heard Kagome hiss. "_Do you insist on saying that I am Inuyasha's wife_?"

Inuyasha blanched. He paled, turned as stark as a sheet, all the blood rushed to his feet, white as a ghost he was, whatever you want to call it.

His _pupils_ started looking a bit pale about the edges, I'm sure you get my meaning.

It was worse then he'd thought! He'd assumed that Clingy had been singing about Kagome's relationship with _Koga_! And as bad as that was, this was much worse.

In a romance novel this is the part where I, as the narrator, add that the _reason_ this was far worse is because Inuyasha didn't really mind. But since this is not a romance novel and I, as the narrator, find this far too cheesy a thing to say, I will leave that to the imagination of that annoying romantic that each and every one of us has buried deep inside.

"Because," Clingy said happily. "Lady asked what Lord wanted with her. That's what Lord wants with Lady."

Inuyasha turned and contemplated the window, wondering if he had enough time to escape out of it before Kagome entered. It was a little small, but he could take some of the wall with him.

The _click_ of the door being opened dashed all of his hopes.

Praying to suddenly become a person with an acting talent (something he'd never been good at), Inuyasha turned to face Kagome. She was, he was glad to see, just as red in the face as he felt. Was it just him or was it awfully hot outside for Spring?

"…Did you hear that?" Kagome asked awkwardly. Though if he had, Kagome thought, she was sure that she didn't want to know. _'Have you noticed,'_ Said that little voice inside of her head that never stays on topic. _'That whenever someone asks that the other person has always heard what they're not supposed to hear?'_

'_Not the time!_' Kagome yelled at her own thoughts.

"Hear? Hear what?" Inuyasha denied, trying to ignore the way his voice was squeaking. "I didn't hear anything!"

Kagome, noticing the tone in his voice and the way his eyes darted back and forth, wisely (and gratefully) chose not to say anything more on the subject.

"…Right." Inuyasha said after an awkward pause. "I just called you to tell you that you needn't have lessons this evening, so you can spend it with your family."

"Thank you, Inuyasha." Kagome said, but she didn't move.

Clingy, watching the two-leggers, decided that maybe his song would cheer them up. They certainly looked to him as if they needed some cheering up.

"_Wifey, wifey_!" He caroled. "_What a lovely wifey_!"

Kagome turned around and darted from the rooms at top speed.

Inuyasha, too busy banging his hear on the table, didn't chase after her.

Clingy, seeing that the song wasn't working, decided to sing louder. Only this time a new tune popped into their head and the words changed to it.

"_She's his wife and she's okay_

_She fought with him all night_

_And she taught all day_

_She likes to burn down mansions_

_And play around with boys like Koga!_

_She's his wife and she's okay_

_They haven't married_

_But they will_

_She's his lovely lovely wifeeeeey!_

_And she says that she's okay_

_When-she-talks-to-herself-in-her-room-when-she-looks-at-herself-in-the-mirror-and-sings-about-pidgeons-and-scullery-maids-and-places-called-camel-parkas!_"

Inuyasha stopped banging his head on the table and looked up at Clingy, utterly and completely confused.

"…What was that last bit? Something about a bear and a girl and a pigeon mirror?" Inuyasha asked.

Clingy shook his head. There just wasn't any understanding them two-leggers.

…

Somewhere, someplace, in a deep dark place that reeked of evil, a secret order was meeting to discuss their diabolical plots. Because that is what you do in deep, dark places that reek of evil. Didn't you know that?

The order was full of whispers this time, whispers, rumors…of the _newcomer_ in their midst.

The leader of this…_society_ called everyone's attention with a snap of the fingers.

"Our last plan didn't work out as well as we would have liked." The leader said. "Do we have any more suggestions?"

"I have an…_idea_." Said the newcomer, stepping forward.

"Do you?" the leader asked, slightly surprised.

"I do." The newcomer said. "And I think this one might just work."

The newcomer glanced around, then beckoned. Everyone drew closer. After about, oh…five minutes I'd say of whispers they all drew back.

"Well I declare." Sango said happily. "That might just work."

That's right.

The matchmakers were at it again.

…

_Well, so ends chapter 32! I am soooooo sorry it took me that long! I've been working at it for a while, so it didn't seem that long to me. I wasn't happy with my first draft so I had to re-do it, and I haven't had much time to write anyway. Luckily this weekend I didn't have much homework, so I had time to type this chapter up! I hope you liked it! Origionally I was planning for a bit more fluff, but I think it was time for a little more humor. Besides, there will be quite a bit of fluff and angst in the next couple chapters if things go forward as scheduled so please prepare yourselves._

_Also, if anyone knows how to make angst funny without making it pathetic, please give me some pointers. I'm thinking that I'll have to resort to irony._

_Believe me, you don't want to see me when I try irony. It doesn't work. I think that Irony and I have communication issues…_

_**Roar-roar-roar roar roar rower roar-rroarrr!**_

_So, as I'm sure you can imagine the Review Lion has not had much work for a while and let me tell you she is just PUMPING for the job! You'd better prepare yourselves for that too!_

_But really, be kind to yourself, just review._

_**Roarrr!**_

_The Review Lion is more then ready to **make** you review, and I don't want to see that happen._

_Till next time then!_

…

_Sincerely_

_Pwalefriend_


	33. Seperation Pending

_**A special thank you to…**_

_**ffgirlmoonie…iamthefish (YAAAAY! YOUR FIRST REAL REVIEW!)…Y .A.R….RIPPP…Clouds of the Sky…Mistress of Demons…sweetrosie…Avelyn Lauren…Goddess of the Moonlit Sky…The Lonely Bird…Mekachikiku-the-Miko… bdrake07…silverkonekotsukari…TwilightZelda… stupidxlovesong…Watching Eternity…MangasFan…manga-is-my-anti-drug…**_

…

_Pwale comes downstairs crying._

_Jenny: Pwale, what's wrong?_

_Pwale: …_

_Jenny: …OH MY GODS!_

_(The Gods are offended by this, since they don't get along with Jenny, and attempt to leave the castle. Unfortunately Pwale's teddy bear isn't done with them yet. There's still **plenty** of math on the board)_

_Mr. X: What is it? What's wrong?_

_Jenny: PWALE'S SO UPSET THAT SHE CAN'T EVEN TALK!_

_Mr. X: (Faints)_

_Mostly everyone else runs around in circles screaming while Pwale begins to cry even louder._

_Sesshomaru: I'm calling an ambulance!_

_(Several minutes later)_

_The Disclaimer Ambulance has drawn up to take Pwale to The Fanfiction Hospital! On the side is written **They Don't Own, So Please Don't Sue**._

_A horde of men in white with large nets jump out and usher the still sobbing Pwale into the back. Sesshomaru, as her "closest relative" goes with her. _

_This is only because the Review Lion found that marriage certificate that Pwale tricked Sesshomaru into signing and she felt that it would be a good idea to show it to the men in white._

_Al and Lia are suspiciously missing._

_Koga (still in the dungeon with Miroku): You know, I have suddenly got a VERY bad feeling…_

_Mario (who is watching from the stairs): I think it's time to go on a trip…_

_Lawyer #1 & #2: I'm going back to bed…_

_Pwale (right before she passes out in the ambulance): …The…the tower…!_

_To be continued…_

…

_**The Stamp Of Gold**_

_**Separation Pending**_

_By Pwalefriend_

…

The children's classroom. It was always a lovely place to have lessons. Or…Well, to _try_ to have lessons. It was such a lovely place that not much time seemed to be devoted to Maths or Science. Rather Art, Music and Napping. The windows faced both South and West, inviting as much sunlight as possible. And sunlight wasn't the best thing for concentration.

It was one such sunny day in the early Spring and Kagome was helping Shippo to draw a cat.

When Mrs. Higurashi burst into the children's classroom, waving a piece of paper wildly over her head and with Sango and Kagura following, all of the grinning like the cat who dragged the rat back in, Kagome know that something bad was about to happen.

"Oh _Kagome_!" Mrs. Higurashi gushed. "I've got some _wonderful_ news! You're simply going to _love_ it!"

Something very, _very_ bad.

"…Children," Kagome said slowly, ushering her charges towards the door, gliding past the other women. "Let's go outside where the crazy people can't scare us anymore."

Rin, Shippo and Satsuki, who were wondering (yes, even Rin) why these previously sensible-seeming adults had suddenly lost their marbles, were anxious to flee and agreed post haste.

The four of them were running down the hall as if all the Hell's were after them.

"Well…" Kagura said. "Apparently we're going to have to be more…_discreet_."

Sango and Mrs. Higurashi all nodded, and put their heads together to come up with a new plan.

…

When somebody knocked on Inuyasha's door the poor sleepless and therefore tired hanyou jumped nervously. He hadn't gotten _any_ sleep last night for several reasons-

1: That stupid _Wifey_ song was still stuck in his head and he couldn't for the life of him figure out why it didn't bug him.

2: Koga had disappeared again and that was _never_ a good thing.

3: Sota had developed some sort of hero complex and Kagome had made it _very_ clear that is he broke the kid's heart there would be nothing but pain in his future.

4: Sesshomaru had smiled at him yesterday.

5: Kagome's crazy dying grandfather turned out to be _rather_ spry and was attacking Inuyasha every chance he got.

6: Inuyasha had finally discovered the question that everyone else wondered all the time.

Where _did _all his money come from?

The person at the door knocked again, a bit harder this time. Inuyasha shook off his reverie.

"Come in!" He called.

Mrs. Higurashi entered.

"Hello Inuyasha." She said kindly. "I've got some good news, and I thought that you should be the first to know!"

Was it just Inuyasha, or had a great cloud of impending doom just descended?

…

When Sesshomaru rounded the corner on his way to tease his younger brother and saw his wife and her friend doubled over with silent giggles he immediately knew that there was evil afoot. Silently he padded up behind them, an evil grin in his mind, if not on his face.

"What's so funny?" He said in a monotone. The two girls jumped and turned to face him.

Kagura looked him over.

"Can you keep a secret?" She asked. Sesshomaru turned and raised an eyebrow at his wife. She rolled her eyes in return. This was there secret language; I don't know what it means.

"She means a _romantic_ secret." Sango said, still giggling slightly. Sesshomaru paled.

_Romantic_ secrets were _always_ bad, bad, bad things.

"Involving your brother and Kagome." Kagura added, smirking.

On the other hand, there were always exceptions.

Sesshomaru leaned a little closer so as to better hear them.

…

Inuyasha stared at Mrs. Higurashi, total horror on his face though his mind was only blank. He was sitting at his desk and looking up at the happy woman in front of him. His hands clutched the edge of the wood so hard that his hands were turning white. A feeling a little bit like panic was welling in his chest, and he didn't understand why.

"I just _knew_ you'd be pleased!" She beamed. Then Mrs. Higurashi turned and left the room at a brisk pace, trying to keep from snickering.

Inuyasha found that he couldn't move. He couldn't even think.

"…_What_?" He breathed. "…_No_…_It can't be_…"

…

In the stables Sota and Kohaku were playing a game of Go Fish while Kanna looked on. They sat above the horses stalls in the hayloft, a soft and comfortable place that shone with dusty light from the small glassless windows at either end.

"Got any eights?" Sota asked.

"Go Fish." Kohaku said. "Hey," he added as Sota picked up a card from the deck. "Have the girls been acting odd lately?"

"Kagome certainly has." Sota said. "She was happy to see us, sure, but…Well…Your turn."

"Got any fours?"

"Damnit." Sota handed him a four. "But do you know what I mean?"

"Yeah, I know exactly what you mean." Kohaku said, lying down his new found pair. "Sango acted the same way when Miroku left on trips. Got any kings?"

"Go Fish." Sota said, then Kohaku's words registered. "Ew! Are you saying…Saying…Saying that Kagome's in _love_! That's _gross_! Only _girls_ fall in love! Kagome's not a girl! She's a _sister_!"

"Sisters fall in love too!" Kohaku said.

"Well, they shouldn't!" Sota said. "Got any jacks?"

Kohaku handed over his jack and Kanna silently agreed with Sota. Sisters _shouldn't_ fall in love. It was very confusing and rather disturbing, she knew _exactly_ what the two boys were going through. She had gone through it herself when Kagura had met Sesshomaru.

"Anyway," Sota said. "Who would Kagome be in love with?"

Kohaku paused a moment to think about it, but he just couldn't think of anyone. _Surely_ Kagome didn't have the bad taste to fall in love with _Koga_ of all people! But who else was there…

"I know who." Kanna said quietly, immediately drawing the full attention of the two boys.

"Who?" They asked eagerly.

"Inuyasha." Kanna said softly, a tiny pinch of amusement steeping into her voice.

…

When the women in the kitchen heard the crash of many items being thrown against the wall in Inuyasha's rooms they grinned.

_Finally_! At long last they're plans had worked! They had _succeeded_!

"Ladies and Gentlemen!" Kaede called, smirking like the Devil itself. "Let's make this a meal to remember!"

Huzzahs filled the cavernous kitchen and work started again with much more vigor. The men didn't really understand what was going on, but the women had been acting so oddly of late anyway it really wasn't anything new.

…

Sesshomaru stared in shock at Kagura and Sango.

"You're pure _evil_!" He informed them. "Can I give you some pointers?"

…

"Kagome?" Shippo asked hesitantly. He wasn't sure if he should mention it, but if Kagome was sick… "Why do you keep sneezing? And your ears are really red. Are you cold?"

"…Shippo…" Kagome said hesitantly. "I think something bad is about to happen."

"Kagome!" Came a high creaking voice. Kagome and the three children turned around to face Kagome's grandfather.

"Kagome!" Grandfather Higurashi said happily. "You'll never believe the good news!"

"…What?" Kagome asked hesitantly.

"We just won the lottery!" Grandfather Higurashi said. "You're going to come back home with us!"

Kagome fainted right then and there.

…

"That _wench_!" Inuyasha was screaming. "That_ bitch_!"

Miroku sat against the wall, his head in his hands.

"I don't know why I even bother coming back here anymore." Miroku said. "Maybe I should kidnap Sango and move away?"

"I'll _kill_ her!"

"Inuyasha's pissed off and homicidal. Kagome and the children are nowhere to be found. Flying trees are going around singing about wives. All the women in this whole infested rat warren won't stop cackling. Sesshomaru keeps on _smiling_. And to make it all worse no one will explain to me what's going on!"

Suddenly Koga burst into the room. This was _completely_ out of the blue.

"Well Inuyasha." Koga snapped. "I hope you learned your lesson! Now I want a raise!"

Silence fell.

"_What_?" Inuyasha hissed. "You want a _what_?"

…

"You know, Sango," Mrs. Higurashi said. "I have a question for you." The two women had decided to take a stroll in the lovely Spring air.

"I'll try to answer as best I can, Mrs. Higurashi." Sango said.

"I understand how both Shippo and Rin came to stay in this place, but what about Satsuki? How did she come here?"

Sango looked sad for a moment.

"Satsuki's birth parents weren't exactly…on the right side of the law. When Satsuki was three and her brother took her and ran away from their home. He was fifteen at the time. They lived happily together for about a year before her brother was killed in a tavern brawl. Kagura rescued Satsuki and brought her here. But Satsuki is convinced that her brother is still alive and that someday he will come to get her."

Mrs. Higurashi looked down, her cheery mood slightly dampened. It was a sad story, but unfortunately not an unusual one.

"Does Kagome know?" Mrs. Higurashi asked. Sango shrugged.

"Who knows." She said. "There's no telling what Inuyasha trusts her with these days."

…

Kagome was sitting on her bed, staring at her hands as tears streamed down her face. She didn't want to leave! But…But how could she convince her family and Inuyasha to let her stay? Everyone was expecting her to go, and normally she wouldn't care about what everybody thought. But this time…the look on Sota's face when he had welcomed her back to the mansion when she had returned with the children…

Could she really stand to disappoint him?

And her Grandfather wasn't going to be there much longer either. How could she leave him?

_Flashback_

"_No!" Shippo bawled. "You can't leave, you promised to read me a story! And you can protect us from Inuyasha! No one else will! And it's my birthday soon! Mine and Satsuki's! You have to be there! You just have to!"_

_End Flashback_

Kagome groaned.

What was she going to do?

…

_Well, there you have it. It's a little different from what I was originally planning, but…I think that I can make it work._

_If I can't, be prepared for a complete turn-about, 'cause if I can't make this work then I'm going to have to get off track (really off track) for a chapter or two so that I can make my switch back into the original plot line more believable._

_But don't worry! I really think that I can pull this off!_

_You'll notice that I updated this a lot sooner then I did last time and that it's longer. This is to make up for my horrible absence last time. I hope that it was satisfactory._

_**Roar**!_

_The Review Lion was quite pleased with your last set of reviews, but she isn't anywhere near done yet! So you still have to review!_

…

_Sincerely_

_Pwalefriend_


	34. Come Together IV

_**A special thank you to…**_

_**sweetrosie…iamthefish…The Lonely Bird…Yellerz… bdrake07…Y .A.R…xxxHallia…mikogurl101… AngelMiko289…Miss Mee…RIPPP…Goddess of the Moonlit Sky…manga-is-my-anti-drug…chiclet180…MuffinLass… stupidxlovesong…silverkonekotsukari…ffgirlmoonie…Milda…Avelyn Lauren…AznxAngel…xxxvirus…TouchofPixieDust… TwilightZelda…Hearii-sama…shappie-moon…Mistress of Demons…readingwriting wench…yoli05…Smiley Gurl 87…Amaya Mishugosha…Milda…MeiunTenshi…Robin…**_

…

_Disclaimer: _

_In the ambulance_

_Sesshomaru: Pwale! Wake up dammit! _

_Ambulance Person: Oh, yeah. 'Cause yelling at her to wake up really worked the first ten times you did it!_

_Sesshomaru: …"Yelling at her to"…Of course! Pwale! Don't you dare wake up!_

_(Pwale leaps up on the ambulance bed; the Ambulance Person rolls his eyes)_

_Pwale: The disclaimers! The disclaimers! They're making me tell! They're making me **tell**!_

_Sesshomaru: Tell what Pwale?_

_Pwale: That I don't own youuuuuuu!!!_

_Sesshomaru: …_

_Ambulance Person: What about the song? _

_Sesshomaru: I think she meant that to._

_Ambulance Person: It's familiar, where's it from?_

_Sesshomaru: The Point._

…

_Al: Why, welcome to my…secret lair!_

_Lawyer #1 & #2: …Mommy!_

_Al: MWAH-HA-HA-HA-HA-HAAAA!!!_

…

_**The Stamp Of Gold**_

_**Come Together IV**_

_By Pwalefriend_

…

The next day Kagome sent Sango and Clingy to entertain the children and to apologize for her absence. Both of her friends cast her a single worried glance before they hurried off to do her bidding. After they were gone Kagome went to see Inuyasha.

He was waiting for her.

In fact, he was waiting for her with a gag and a rope to hog tie her with. But since she came in with a bat (one she had stolen from Shippo) at the ready his plan was shown obtuse.

"Inuyasha," Kagome said calmly, as if she hadn't just struck her cowering friend. "I have a gift for you."

Inuyasha's head jerked up and he glared at her.

"A farewell gift?" He snapped.

Kagome, looking around at the destruction throughout the room, decided that this wasn't a good question to answer.

Instead she only smiled.

"Come on, Inuyasha." She said, and led him by the hand out the door and down the hall and down the stairs and to the great outdoors.

"Where are we going, wench?" Inuyasha snapped. His curiosity and his anger (which had been battling) had reached a truce. He would be furiously curious.

"You'll see." Kagome said, still gripping his hand as she led him towards the moor. She smiled and smile that was half hopeful, half grim. Silently she remembered what Kaede had told her.

_Flashback_

"_After Kikyo left, Inuyasha flew into a rage more terrible then ever before, I'm sure ye can imagine. We thought that eventually he would calm down with the help of Tetsusaiga, his horse. Ye see, no matter how pathetic it may sound, that horse always managed to help Inuyasha regain his senses. But not this time. This time, for some reason, Tetsusaiga wouldn't let Inuyasha anywhere near him. This made Inuyasha even angrier._

"_When we told Sesshomaru of this latest development he rushed-"_

_At this point Kagome interrupted._

"_Rushed?" Asked Kagome. Kaede offered a smile._

"_Sesshomaru _walked briskly_," Kaede corrected herself. "To his brother's rooms. He was there for several hours. Not even Kagura knows what happened. When Sesshomaru finally came out he told us that Kikyo's betrayal had un-knotched Inuyasha just a little bit. He became more like a full-blooded demon. But ye can only be rid of a certain bloods affect, ye can never be rid of the physical blood itself. This, in Inuyasha's case, leads to a bit of insanity. Tetsusaiga can sense this, and it spooks him. He's a very sensitive horse. Inuyasha hasn't gone anywhere near that horse since. Many find this sad, since they miss each other terribly…"_

_End Flashback_

Kagome wasn't so sure about _missing each other_, Tetsusaiga didn't really seem to mind, and the thought of Inuyasha being an _animal person_ was simply ludicrous, but both of them certainly needed the exercise and Kagome _was_ an animal person so it certainly _was_ sad for her.

Also, Kagome suspected that Kaede had buttered up the facts, so as to make them more pathetic and cliché then they actually were.

"Kagome." Inuyasha snapped. "I'm in a _very_ bad mood at the moment, so you had _better_ tell me what's going on. Immediately."

"I don't have to." Kagome said happily. "If your lordship would bother to notice his surroundings…"

"What lordship?" Inuyasha asked, honestly confused. He was having a little bit of difficulty picking up on sarcasm that day.

Kagome twitched. She had _wanted_ this to be disgustingly touching and cheesy and absolutely wince-worthy, but apparently it was going to turn into a normal Kagome-Inuyasha moment. Oh well, she could give it one more shot.

"Look, Inuyasha." Kagome said, reaching up to grab a hold of his shoulders and make him face the proper direction. She was satisfied that he had noticed their location when she felt the muscles under her hands tense and his sharp breath.

"Kagome…" Inuyasha hissed. "Are you completely stupid? Why are we here?"

"Because both you and Tetsusaiga need the exercise." Kagome said softly. "And don't worry about him attacking you. I've been putting your dirty shirts into his laundry for the past few months, ever since I found him. He's perfectly used to your smell now."

"How do you know that it's my smell that bothers him?" Inuyasha asked nervously. Kagome gave a little laugh.

"Because Kanna said so." She said.

"Kagome, I'm not so sure about this…" Inuyasha said, trying to back up. Kagome stopped him by giving him a little push.

"Yes, Inuyasha. I'm sure. And if it makes you feel any better I'll stay right here and watch. Now go on! He's all saddled up and ready to go!"

Inuyasha needed no further encouragement. He was on Tetsusaiga and the two of them were trotting circles around Kagome faster then you could say "Mount up."

And all Kagome could do was laugh.

…

Inuyasha was doing something as he brushed down Tetsusaiga that, in a lesser man, would have been called giggling. For _years_, ever since he'd been cursed, he'd wished that he could come to Tetsusaiga, and now he could, and whom did he have to thank you it? He had Kagome to thank for it, all of it.

How could he ever repay her?

He couldn't. He simply couldn't.

There was no way around it anymore, Inuyasha love Kagome. It was sort of funny…

For a long time he'd expected to eventually marry the daughter of a business associate. One of those brainless girls with the little dogs and offensive shopping habits. But then he'd fallen in love with Kikyo, and everyone knew how _that_ had turned out.

Very, very badly.

And then…Kagome had come. And she'd not only put up with him, she'd fought with him, something that only people who had nothing to fear from him did. And _she_, she had _every_ reason to fear him. In the beginning he had been all that kept her and her entire family from dying cold and alone on the streets, or from suffering a fate that most society considered far worse.

Remembering the idle threats he'd made against the Higurashi's back when his acquaintance with the daughter had first started, Inuyasha winced. The offhand disregard he'd treated such colorful people with back then, something he wouldn't dare now, pained him.

And the best part was that Kagome wasn't a brainless twit, nor did everyone love her. Kikyo had been perfect, so much as to make him feel lesser. When next to Kagome, he felt equal. He felt that he had found his match. A pair. A set. Kagome, unlike Kikyo, loved the arcane and the random knowledge as much as he did. Kikyo had been a dream that had been broken and snatched away. But Kagome was real. And she couldn't be broken and snatched away like-

…

Inuyasha froze, the curry brush still in his hand. Tetsusaiga, wondering why his rider had suddenly stopped, turned and whuffed at Inuyasha's arm. Inuyasha offered the horse a small, feeble smile and mumble of apology, then continued brushing. Tetsusaiga gave a little happy horse-sigh, and bent his head down to nibble at the fresh hay that was his dinner. Tetsusaiga was content. Inuyasha, a few seconds ago, had been, before he'd remembered the situation.

What was he thinking?

Not only had Kagome never shown any sign of loving him, but also she was likely to be leaving in the morning. It would take a saint to love him, and though Kagome Higurashi was many things, she was no saint.

And besides, there was still the curse.

What was the curse? No one but Inuyasha knew the full depth of it. It was one of those rules, when you curse someone and the curse isn't obvious, you have to tell them what it is. If it is obvious, you have to tell them how to break it. If you don't tell them what it is and you don't tell them how to break it, then they won't know they're under a curse and they might go to a psychiatrist who, chances are, will be able to accidentally break your curse. After all, among some other things, that's what they're paid for.

Now that that's cleared up I shall say, dear reader, that while Inuyasha knows perfectly well what his curse is and he knows perfectly well how it prevents him from ever having any sort of relationship with Kagome, as I mentioned before, only he knows. And as such you and I will have to wait a little longer.

'_If I can't have her love…'_ Inuyasha thought, as a sheer ridiculous amount of people had before him. _'At least I can have her friendship. That will have to be enough.'_

…

Kagome found Inuyasha in his room that night; the silly man was exhausted from his night's ride. He had actually fallen asleep in his bed. Well…his feet were on it anyway. Kagome laughed and, with the help of the Elementals, got him all the way under his covers without waking him. She was just turning to leave when he mumbled something in a distressed way. She turned back, sat down next to him, and smoothed a piece of his hair flat against the mattress.

"_Are you sleeping? Can you hear me? Do you know that I am by your side?_" Kagome sang softly. "_Does it matter…If you hear me? When the morning comes I'll be there by your side. And in the morning when I wake up, she may be telling me goodbye. And in the evening when we break up, I'm wondering why-y-y-ayay…"_

Clingy bounced up and down a little. It wasn't…a _particularly_ bad song, they supposed…But their song was way better.

…

_I apologize most profusely._

_You see, first I found out that I was failing school due to missing work, I did most of that work, and then a close family member died. Afterwards, I got sick and still had more work to do. Somehow I managed to find time to finish this chapter, which by the way I had to start over because it was originally very, very, very bad. Pathetic, cheesy, and, to give a taste, I found (to my utmost dismay) that Kaede quoted Mrs. Bennet on several different occasions._

_For those of you who don't know, that is about as bad as you can get. _

_But these are excuses, and as such…Sigh. I hope though, to soon catch up in school, get over whatever new form of sickness I caught and during the Winter Break I hope to not only catch up with this story but also finish writing several one-shots I've been working on._

_In that vein, actually, I have a quiz, please post the answer in any review you would be so kind as to bless me with._

_What is the maximum length a one-shot may be and still be acceptable?_

…

_Erm…_

…

_Where'd she go?_

…

_Oh dear. I found a note._

_**Dear Readers-**_

_**This is the most inexcusable and lengthy absence ever. You are quite justified in not reviewing. I hope you will, as I was created to hope that, but I cannot I blame if you do not. As such I will not be hunting down mauling those who do not review this chapter. **_

_**Yours truly,**_

_**The Review Lion**_

…

_Uh…I think she's in the kitchen…_

_Anyway, see you next chapter, please stick around._

_I'd like you to review, pretty please!_

_And everyone, thank that wonderful movie The Point. It made me want to write again._

_Yours sincerely_

_Pwalefriend_


	35. Now For Something Completely Different

_**A special thank you to…**_

_**Maxjudocat…xxxHallia…Rach (aka pokiepal)…Clouds of the Sky…TwilightZelda…iamthefish…ffgirlmoonie…angelqt1231…Avelyn Lauren…Mistress of Demons…Punk Rock Miko2…melancholy …chiclet180…manga-is-my-anti-drug…MeiunTenshi…sweetrosie…TouchofPixieDust… AznxAngel…Goddess of the Moonlit Sky…bdrake07…Amaya Mishugosha…Kit-Kat…Watching Eternity…jesse10132… angelfeet…Amaya Mishugosha…**_

…

_**The Stamp Of Gold**_

_And Now For Something Completely Different_

_A story by Pwalefriend_

…

The next morning rose bright and sunny and actually quite alarming. Somehow Inuyasha managed to spend the first three hours of his day searching everywhere for Kagome, throwing tantrum after tantrum, and not seeing any other living creature. He didn't see a single servant, he didn't see or hear a single horse or bird. He didn't even encounter any Elementals, though Clingy spent a good deal of time looking for Inuyasha as well.

Perhaps I should explain better.

The reason Inuyasha didn't see any non-humanoid animals is because there was a huge storm brewing and they were all keeping quiet and hunkering down.

The reason Inuyasha didn't see any humanoid animals is because they were all greatly enjoying his incredibly comical displays of distress.

Except for Kagome.

She had already left with her family.

It also took Inuyasha three hours to remember that it was Sunday.

…

"Hey, Shippo…" Rin said, sitting down next to her friend. Shippo looked up at her. Satsuki, who was sitting across the room, looked up.

"Yeah?" Shippo asked.

"Shippo, do you think I'm pretty?" Rin asked very seriously. She looked straight into her friend's eyes. "I want an honest answer."

"Yeah, Shippo!" Satsuki said, looking a little angry. "Do you think that Rin is pretty?"

"…Erm…" Shippo was…horrified. Frightened, scared, terrified, petrified, paralyzed, alarmed, panicked, terrorized, filled with fear, spooked and scandalized. Shippo was between a rock and a hard place and he knew it. So he did the only thing that a sensible little lad like Shippo could do. He stood up, politely bowed to his two female friends and the turned and skedaddled away as diplomatically as he could manage.

Rin and Satsuki were both rather put out. For a minute or two. But then they started arguing over the yellow crayon and the cowardice of their dear playmate was completely forgotten.

…

And then it happened.

When it happened, it happened in the kitchen.

"…You know, I just realized something." Said Mrs. Yoshi as she rolled out the cookie dough.

"What did you just realize?" Her friend, Mrs. Lee asked as she stirred a nearby pot of soup.

"I just realized that none of us have had a single vacation in over twenty years."

Nearby Kaede, who had been dicing carrots for a salad, froze. She turned to the women.

"You know," Kaede said wonderingly. "I do believe your right!"

"She is too!" Said one of the menservants, who was particularly good at math. His real name was rather unpronounceable, with a lot of X's and K's and Y's, so everyone just called him Joe. "Twenty-five years, to be precise!"

Mr. Lee, the husband or Mrs. Lee, who used to be a lawyer, blinked in surprise.

"Why!" He exclaimed. "That's a violation of our contract!"

"Really?" Kaede asked, surprised. She hadn't known that she'd _had_ a contract…Actually, she wasn't even actually hired or anything. She just lived there.

…Frightening, the things you realize when you think about the specifics of one's life. Luckily for her, Kaede didn't think about it.

"Yes!" Mr. Lee said, pulling out a copy of his own contract that he kept on his person at all times. "It says so right here! We're supposed to get a vacation every year!"

People began to crowd around, pushing and prodding. Craning and careening. Everyone was eager and enthusiastic when they heard the words "vacation" and "violation" and "contract" all in the same five seconds. It always meant something good for you, or something bad for someone else. Occasionally you were the unlucky sod who it was bad for, but then it was always good to know before hand so that you could hopefully have enough time to run away.

"Hey!" One person shouted. "Mine says so too!"

"And mine!"

"Mine as well!"

"Count me in!"

"Vacation? I'm all set!"

"Mine says it!"

"Right there! Right there in writing!"

It soon became quite apparent that everyone, every last single servant, had been denied their rightful yearly vacation for the past twenty-five years. As soon as this was realized violence naturally broke out as tempers rose.

Kaede called order.

"There's a very simple answer to this!" She said. "Let's go on vacation…_right now._"

"Vacation?" Kagura said, poking her head into the kitchen. "Who's going on vacation?"

"We are." Said Mrs. Yoshi.

"What a coincidence!" Kagura said. "I was just coming down to tell you guys that Sango and Miroku have eloped and that Sesshomaru and I are taking the kids and going to the Bahamas. We can buy you lot tickets as well, if you like."

"…When did this happen?" Kaede asked, surprised.

"What? The elopement or the deciding to go on a trip?"

"Both."

"The elopement will happen in five minutes, and we're going to leave on the trip half and hour ago." Kagura turned to leave, but then remembered one thing.

"Oh!" She said. "And if someone could help Mrs. Higurashi with her bag, she's having a little trouble getting it out the window."

And _then_ Kagura left, leaving behind a silent staff.

After a few moments Kaede got up the empathy to speak.

"Okay." She said. "Let's just take the crazy lady's money and get out of here."

And so began what would turn into one of the most…bemusing day of both Inuyasha and Kagome's life.

Naturally, neither of them were present for the occasion.

…

_Am I tired? _

_Yes I am!_

_Did I write this at an Ungodly hour?_

_Yes I did!_

_Does it make any sense?_

_I don't think so!_

_Do I love you guys!_

_Yes I do!_

_It's the night before Christmas, and all through the house, my parents are waiting for me to go to sleep. And so is my brain. Actually…I think my brain already went to bed and is waiting for me to realize that I'm asleep._

_Please…Just be happy that it makes as much sense as it does. I was finished with about 13 pages when I realized that for 10 of those pages I had rambled about Kohaku being a knitting guru and about the complexities of the chicken anatomy._

_Not that I know anything about either knitting guru-ness or chicken anatomy…_

…

_Okay…I'm going to bed now._

…

_Happy Holidays!_

_I'm afraid that the Review Lion has also gone on vacation. All she left was a gift basket of ears._

_Sincerely_

_Pwalefriend_


	36. Snails

_**A special thank you to…**_

_**TwilightZelda…manga-is-my-anti-drug…MeiunTenshi… Alitheia…Watching Eternity…Avelyn Lauren…Punk Rock Miko2…angelqt1231…Clouds of the Sky…Al…Ayjah…Female Dog Deamon…icefire…chiclet180…sweetrosie…readingwriting wench…bdrake07…ffgirlmoonie…Reimei Hoshi…Hearii-sama…Goddess of the Moonlit Sky…anime obsession260…silverkonekotsukari…The Book Queen…Saikouby-Megami…**_

…

_Disclaimer:_

_You know what? Today I'm taking a break. You're going to get a truly long chapter, even if I have to put two plotlines together and forego all evil cliffies! So, as to prove that it is truly a long chapter, I will not by putting in a disclaimer story._

_I'm sorry if this causes any disappointment. Let's pretend the disclaimer characters are on holiday._

_I don't own the cast of characters that we all know and love from the very well-known story, Inuyasha._

…

_**The Stamp of Gold**_

_**Snails**_

_By Pwalefriend_

…

When Kagome left the nice little café where she had been having lunch and met her rickshaw boy, the poor lad was surprised. After all, three of his four clientele had disappeared! Kagome gave him an apologetic smile.

"I'm sorry." She said. "I know that you do groups, but I'm afraid my family had to leave for their vacation."

"Didn't you wish to see 'em off, miss?" Asked the boy suspiciously.

"I did." Kagome said. "They wouldn't let me."

This was very odd and the urchin had no qualms about telling Kagome so in no uncertain terms. Kagome just nodded.

"I quite agree." She said. "But tell me, do you have any crazy family members?"

The boy thought about his cousin, who went around eating grasshoppers and standing in buckets of water singing songs he learned from sailors.

"I understand perfectly, miss." The boy said with feeling. "I'll make an exception, and am at your service for the rest of the day."

Kagome smiled brilliantly at him.

"Oh, thank you _ever_ so much!" She said, ignoring the little voice in the corner of her mind that was laughing evilly. She hadn't _meant_ to take advantage of the situation!

"Do you have a specific place that your wishing to go, miss?" The boy asked. Kagome handed him a piece of paper that had an address on it.

"Can you take me there?" Kagome asked him. The boy gave her an old look.

"Yeah, I can." He said. "Old crazy man, miss. I mean, I can't see why you'd be wanting to go there."

"Call it a hunch." Kagome said. "I think that I just might be able to learn something there."

And off they went.

…

All right.

There is only so long that you _can't _meet anyone in your own house.

It had been three hours, Inuyasha had searched every damn last room in his mansion and _still_, there wasn't a single sign of _anybody_! There was _no one_ in the kitchen, there was _no one_ in the nursery,there was _no one _in the stables, even the horses were gone! There was_ no one_ in the lavatory, there was _no one_ in the cellar, and there was_ no one_ in the "Secret Meeting Room".

_No one._

Except for him.

So now Inuyasha was sitting in front of the mural and sulking.

How could several hundred people just disappear? It didn't make sense! Especially since he didn't _notice_ them disappear!

Inuyasha got to his feet with a sigh, and then left to go look outside again.

…

"Here we are, miss." Said the boy. "I'll be waiting out here if you don't mind."

"That's alright." Kagome assured him. "I won't be long."

They were outside a small apothecary's shop. The street around them was bustling and busy and sunny, but this little shop stood out, stark and dark against the surrounding shops. The windows here dusty and an old sign with the words _Help Wanted-Inquire Within_ stenciled thickly on it. Kagome walked through the wooden door, little jingle bells jangling when the door swang shut behind her, and found (to her distaste) that the inside of the shop was just as dusty as the windows.

"Miss Kagome!" Said a little voice in surprise. "Well, this _is_ a surprise! A pleasant one, but a surprise nonetheless! What brings you to my dear little shop?"

Kagome, looking to the left, smiled when she saw the shop's proprietor beaming up at her from behind his counter.

"Hello Myoga." She said. "I was wondering if you could answer a few questions for me."

The welcoming grin on Myoga's face began to fade when he heard that.

"Qu-questions, eh?" Myoga stuttered. "W-well, I c-can't guarantee anything, b-but I'll t-try…"

Myoga then noticed that as his smile faded, _Kagome's_ smile widened. This, he decided, was not a good sign. Kagome took a step closer.

"Some questions," she continued. "About Inuyasha."

Myoga gulped.

"W-w-well," he tried to say, though his stutter worsened. "I-I w-was n-never much of a p-p-part of I-Inuyasha's l-l-life, so, erm…"

"Oh, but these questions are _easy_." Kagome protested in her most innocent voice, she took another step. "I can't imagine _how_ you wouldn't be able to answer them!"

Myoga tried to shrink down in his stool, and his eyes darted to the exits. Kagome pretended that she didn't notice, as she was not directly in front of the counter and looming over the poor small man.

"After all," Kagome continued in that "innocent" voice. "They're just simple questions about his _temper_!"

Myoga released a little whimper, and his eyes raised to meet hers.

"…Oh dear." Myoga said.

…

"Okay," Inuyasha said, speaking aloud to himself. "I _know_ that I've already searched the kitchen!"

"Lord!" Suddenly Inuyasha heard an annoying squeaky but familiar voice! Oh, what a nice thing to hear once more!

"Clingy!" Inuyasha said brightly as the Elemental zipped down to meet him. "You're alive!"

Clingy gave Inuyasha an odd look.

"We were never _not_ alive…" Clingy said slowly, very confused by his normally not-_as_ confusing Lord.

"Where is everyone else?" Inuyasha asked hurriedly.

Clingy gave him another odd look.

"…They _did_ leave a note, Lord." Said Clingy, pointing to a folded scrap of paper on a nearby kitchen counter. Blushing, Inuyasha walked over and picked it up. Sure enough _Inuyasha_ was neatly scrawled on one side. Unfolding it, Inuyasha found the note that his staff had left him before their mysterious disappearance.

_Inuyasha-_

_We (meaning your staff, your family, the Higurashis, and your family's staff and those five guys who don't actually do anything, but seem to live here all the time) have all decided to take a vacation. Kagome's staying home with you, so don't think you've been let off the hook. The pair of you had better be good while we're gone! _

_Dinner's in the icebox._

_Love_

_Your staff, your family, the Higurashi's, and your family's staff and those five guys who don't actually do anything, but seem to live here all the time_

_P.S. Sango and Miroku eloped! Isn't that nice!_

Inuyasha crumpled up the note and threw it against the wall angrily. Mr. Lee had_ definitely _written_ that_. That man _really_ had the most _annoying_ sense of humor _ever_.

And since when were Miroku and Sango in love? Maybe Miroku had finally gotten Sango drunk enough to agree to bear his children.

Inuyasha tried to picture it, and couldn't. But it was a much more likely then the two of them being involved all this time and Inuyasha just not noticing.

"…Wait…" Inuyasha said slowly. He jumped over to where the note had fallen and picked it up, uncrinkling it with one hand.

Yep. It still said it.

_Kagome's staying home with you, so don't think you've been let off the hook._

Did that mean that Kagome was staying with him-…_them_?

Inuyasha certainly hoped that it did. But Kagome clearly wasn't there, after all, it was Sunday (her day off), and so he probably couldn't expect her home for a while.

Meanwhile, Inuyasha had always considered _dinner _and _lunch_ to be interchangeable. And it couldn't hurt to just _look_ in the icebox.

The rickshaw boy was waiting patiently outside Myoga's shop, juggling three leather balls that he carried around in his back pocket for his own amusement when his clients were busy. But when a shadow flitted across his light the little street rat looked up and jumped to his feet.

"My lady!" He said, shocked. He nodded his head and touched his hat. "I didn't see you there!"

"Not at all." Kikyo said, staring through the window. "I was just passing by, as you were."

The boy gulped and went back to his juggling, though he was too nervous to actually have much success. But when _Kikyo_ told you to do something, you _did_ it.

Kikyo frowned as she watched the young woman chat with a frightened looking Myoga. She remembered the time she had done that.

"This is interesting." Kikyo said. "You, boy!"

The rickshaw boy jumped up again, fighting not to salute.

"Yes, my Lady?" He asked.

"You tell the girl this from me." Kikyo said sternly. "Tell her that if she's not more careful, then snails will come and eat her toes."

"…I should tell the young miss," said the rickshaw boy slowly, gesturing into the shop. "That unless she's more careful like, snails will eat her toes."

Kikyo nodded.

"Yes." She said seriously. "But you must drop the _like_ part." Kikyo spat out the word _like_ as if it were filthy.

"…Okay, my Lady." Said the rickshaw boy. "I'll tell her."

"See that you do." Kikyo said, nodding. Then she tossed the boy a silver coin to him and strode off to where her own private rickshaw boy waited. Our urchin shuddered. No one liked Kikyo's private rickshaw boys. They were a creepy, pale almost reptilian lot who never said a word and who were always taking Kikyo places and when they weren't doing that they were silently gathering food for her. It was disturbing.

When Kagome came out of Myoga's shop twenty minutes later she made to climb into the rickshaw, but the urchin stopped her with a hand on her arm.

"I've a message for you, miss." Said the rickshaw boy. "From Lady Kikyo, and she told me to tell you, so I won't be denying her, but please don't laugh at me miss. I swear it's what she said."

At Kikyo's name Kagome was immediately on alert, and a little frightened.

"She said that _if you're not more careful, snails will come and eat your toes._" The rickshaw boy said seriously. He watched a strange expression filter across the face of his client.

"I just have one last job for you." Kagome said quietly but firmly. "Take me to the horse market."

The boy gave her an odd look, but nodded.

"Alright."

Kagome got into the rickshaw. The train that would take her to the Feudal Era wouldn't leave till twelve that night, and she wanted to get out of the town immediately. A horse would get her back home faster then the train would if she waited. And she had enough money left for a good horse.

On the way to the horse market they passed the stationary shop that Kagome had shopped at during her first visit to town. With an idle glance in its direction, Kagome was pleased to see that the stamp she wanted was still there. Wasn't that odd? That in a time like this she still was acting slightly materialistic. Kagome pondered this on the rest of the way to the market. She didn't even notice the growing storm clouds that were starting to mass above her head.

…

Inuyasha sat at the window in the Entrance Hall, staring idly out of it into the rain. It had started falling just a few hours ago, and he wondered how Kagome was faring. He knew that the train that would bring her back home wouldn't leave for another few hours yet. _'Ah well…'_ Inuyasha thought. _'May as well use this time to think of excuses to explain to her why all the food is gone.'_

Ten minutes later Inuyasha had come up with an elaborate excuse involving snails, talking broccoli, spoons, his mind and Clingy when the front door slammed open with a bang and a wet and sopping Kagome tumbled into the hall just as Inuyasha leapt up. Somehow the two of them managed to collide and even before they were done falling Kagome had managed to wrap her hands around Inuyasha's throat and when they had landed Inuyasha found himself staring up into Kagome's raging and wild eyes.

"_Food_…" Kagome hissed. "_I…Want...Need…Food…_"

'_Well,'_ Inuyasha thought. _'The vicious monster is hungry. Now, what was it I was going to say again?'_

But when he was staring up into Kagome's frightening eyes and had her hands around his throat he could only remember one bit.

"Snails ate it all." Inuyasha said, and then suddenly he could sit up because Kagome had somehow managed to jump to the other side of the hall and was now pointing at him and shaking violently.

"You!" Kagome gasped. "And her! Connected! In head!"

Inuyasha squinted at her.

"…_What_?" He asked.

Kagome just sneezed.

_If you don't remember the mural, refer to chapter seven._

_Remember, the Feudal Era is what Inuyasha's mansion is called._

_Well, there we go! A brand new chapter! And I was better about updating this time around! Yay for me!_

_Sigh. Sorry fellahs, not feeling particularly chatty or funny right now, so I'll make it brief. _

_I hope that you enjoyed this chapter and the Review Lion-_

_**Roar!!!**_

_Is back in business, so you'd best get cracking on those reviews! _

_Sincerely_

_Pwalefriend_


	37. Worry

_**A special thank you to…**_

**_Goddess of the Moonlit Sky…bdrake07…The Book Queen…ffgirlmoonie…Ayjah…souriiant…Charcoal.Rose… emichan…Avelyn Lauren…AznxAngel…silverkonekotsukari… Clouds of the Sky…sweetrosie…Kikto-chan…Punk Rock Miko2…I Laugh at ur Pain… Fishy …angelqt1231…MeiunTenshi…Lightning Dragon Alchemist…flynfreako…chiclet180…TouchofPixieDust… Watching Eternity…Amaya Mishugosha…Inutori… mangafreak…Female Dog Deamon…Kagome1322…_**

…

_Disclaimer:_

_Lawyer #1: So, what now?_

_Lawyer #2: I don't know. She seems to be running out of steam._

_Lawyer #1: There was a whole big to-do as well!_

_Al: Are we ever going to find out just **what** it is exactly I'm doing that has everyone so terrified._

_Jenny: I don't think so._

_Sesshomaru: I'm surprised she's even writing this._

_Mr. X: It certainly is scary._

_Mario: Brave of her to do it, really._

_KK: First rate._

_Blake: Strong girl, that one._

_(They all stare at Pwale)_

_Pwale:(dejectedly) I don't own them. The characters, I mean._

_Naraku: Is something wrong with her?_

_Sesshomaru: If you can figure out what it is, please tell the rest of us._

…

_**The Stamp Of Gold**_

_**Worry**_

_By Pwalefriend_

…

It didn't take long for Inuyasha to figure out that Kikyo had left some sort of nonsensical message for Kagome that had creeped her out and then she had fled on a horse. While riding said horse back home she got caught in the storm and had also forgotten dinner after a very small lunch.

Once Inuyasha was finished throwing a fit (about half an hour later) he finally noticed that Kagome had walked (or staggered) away and had left a trail of water in her wake. Following the puddles he found her fast asleep and still soaking wet and curled up in his bed.

Naturally he squawked in outrage.

…

Nothing happened.

So Inuyasha squawked a little louder.

…

…

Why wasn't Kagome waking up? This was wrong!

"Oh!" Inuyasha snapped at his sleeping friend and the object of his affections. "You think that just because you're cold and wet and hungry and was targeted by Kikyo's strange warnings that neither of us understand, you can just go collapse on just _anyone's _bed. This you don't have to think about _anyone_ else. You know what you are? You're full of yourself, that's what you are! Self-centered!"

Kagome gave a little sneeze and her nose wrinkled in her sleep. Inuyasha gaped.

"…That's cheating!" He protested loudly enough for Kagome to shift a little bit, like a little cat. Inuyasha's jaw dropped even further. "That's definitely cheating!" He said. "You're not allowed to act cute when I'm being mad at you!"

Kagome yawned and opened her eye just a crack.

"Y'say something?" She slurred. Inuyasha glared at her for all he was worth.

"You are a very evil, very cruel, monster." Inuyasha informed her slowly. Unfortunately Kagome didn't hear his opinion, as she had fallen back asleep quite promptly after asking if he had said something.

"Lord?" Clingy asked, bobbing up and down in the air at Inuyasha's shoulder. Inuyasha ground his teeth angrily.

"Yes Clingy?" Inuyasha asked.

"Lady's sick."

These simple words threw Inuyasha into yet _another_ panicked fit that conveniently lasted long enough for the Elementals to wake Kagome up, get her into some dry clothes, feed her a nice simple broth, give her some cold medicine of their own creation and put her into her own bed. One can only suppose that this is another of the Elementals numerous and mysterious talents.

Impeccable timing.

…

Kagome woke up the next morning only to find that Inuyasha had fallen asleep next to her bed where he had (judging by the open book his head was resting and drooling on) been reading. A little smile tugged at her lips and she pulled some of her blanket over him and rolled closer. A racking cough shook her frame and she fell back asleep soon afterwards, watching Inuyasha's sleeping face and especially how his nose seemed to crinkle every time he gave one of his tiny soft snores.

…

Three days later Kagome was beginning to get over her high fever and whooping cough. Her nose still ran like a river and her eyes still watered annoyingly, but the Elementals announced that she was well on her way to mending, much to Inuyasha's relief. He had once tried to explain to a sleeping Kagome how much stress her sickness was putting him under, and the conversation had gone something like this-

"Kagome?" Inuyasha had asked, giving her a little nudge with his hand. Kagome gave a little congested moan of complaint. "Are you awake?" Inuyasha asked her. This time Kagome didn't give any reply at all. Inuyasha sighed and petted her soft hair with his hand. "You know," he told her. "I wish you'd get better. It's annoying being worried, now I get what people are talking about when they tell other people not to do something because it worries them." Inuyasha frowned, thinking. "I think you should give up your days off. They're obviously very bad for you, and I hate being worried about you."

"Not a chance, dog-boy." Kagome muttered, awakening at this supposed threat to her one day of freedom. "Never in a million, billion, gagillion years."

"But they're-"

"No."

"But-"

"No way. And talking about this is making me sicker."

"Then shut up! We'll discuss it when you're better."

"Mmm…" Kagome fell back asleep, but as she hadn't opened her eyes when she had spoken to Inuyasha, the silly hanyou didn't notice. Instead he continued to caress her with that soft look in his eyes.

"Kagome." Inuyasha said. "I really am worried about you. Please get better."

When he had no response, he gave her a little nudge. "Kagome?" He said. "Are you awake?"

But now Kagome wasn't falling asleep every other second. Now Kagome didn't feel as if there was a little mouth inside of her head that was slowly chewing up her brains. She was able to converse and live with only the mild discomfort that comes from a normal cold.

And the first thing she did, quite naturally, was demand to go outside.

Which then, quite naturally, led to another row.

"NO YOU CANNOT GO OUTSIDE!!!" Inuyasha screamed at his beloved friend. "YOU'RE STILL SICK!"

"AND THE FRESH AIR WILL DO ME GOOD, YOU STUPID CREEP!" Kagome screamed back at him, privately proud that her throat was up to screaming. Inuyasha didn't share her opinion, however.

"STOP SCREAMING, YOU'LL STRAIN YOUR THROAT!" Inuyasha screamed.

"NO I WON'T! AND I WON'T STOP SCREAMING UNTIL YOU LET ME GO OUTSIDE!"

"I THOUGHT THAT _YOU_ SAID _I_ COULDN'T STOP YOU FROM DOING WHAT YOU WANTED!" Inuyasha shouted triumphantly, thinking that he had her. Kagome glared down at him.

"_You can, you prat, when you've got me slung across you shoulder like a sack._" Kagome hissed at him. Inuyasha just smiled brightly at her.

"That's right!" Inuyasha said as he carried Kagome up the Grand Stairs and back to his room, leaping to steps at a time as if to show that to _him_ Kagome's weight was nothing. "I can!"

It was two more days before Kagome managed to convince Inuyasha to let her go outside.

Kagome was bundled up in several blankets in addition to her thick skirts, and she was forbidden from straying off the path and onto the slushy ground, but the point was that she was _outside_. And being _outside_ was as close to freedom as she had gotten since her last free day.

She walked along the path that circled and twisted around them mansion and led people to the numerous places someone might need to go, such as the stables or the tack barn or the feed shed or the well or the smoke shed or the supply house. There were several paths that Kagome had never gone on before, but that she knew Koga used for whatever it was he did all day. There were also quite a few paths that Inuyasha's mother had mapped out in her day, that were peaceful and scenic. It was one of these that Kagome took now.

Kagome sighed. How sad it was, she thought, that she should be sick when Spring was approaching. Kagome _loved_ Spring, especially when it is on its cusp of tumbling down around you and one can smell it in the air. Kagome had never noticed this before, in all the years she had lived in the city. The smells of people and all the things people used in their lives had always overcome the smells of Mother Nature. But out _here_, on Inuyasha's beloved plains, and in the old forest, one could smell the undeniable seasons in the air. The smell of Spring reminded Kagome of warm sun and budding flowers and fresh grass and cool water. She looked forward to what Summer must small like.

But at the moment she couldn't smell a dratted thing with her stuffed-up nose and that irked her to no end.

But still, the world in general was beautiful, even if all the thrilling white was turning to gray and brown slush that made everything damp and cold and dreary. The wind told a very different story then the ground, and the sun was shining clear and the winter birds were striking their tunes like there was no tomorrow.

"Halloo!" Shouted a sudden and familiar voice. Kagome turned around to find none other then Koga running towards her, waving and happily smiling.

"Koga?" Kagome said cheerfully. She blinked and tried to remember the last time she had seen Koga. She couldn't.

"Kagome!" Koga said happily. "I heard you were sick! You certainly don't look like you are."

"That's very sweet of you, Koga." Kagome said, blushing happily at the compliment. "But yes, I was sick. Who'd you hear it from?" Kagome had thought that everyone (including her family, for some strange reason) had left. Koga shrugged.

"I don't quite recall." He said nonchalantly. "Inuyasha must've mentioned it when I saw him." Kagome frowned at hearing this.

"You saw Inuyasha?" She asked. "When?"

Judging from the way Inuyasha had always glared at Koga, Kagome thought for sure that her hanyou employer and friend would have mentioned it if he had met with Koga. Inuyasha had never given up the opportunity to be as offended as a ruffled rooster before. Why now?

'_Ah well.'_ Kagome thought. _'No doubt he has some reason that I wouldn't agree with for not telling me. I'll just ask him about it later.'_

"So, Koga." Kagome said. "It's been forever since I last saw you. What have you been up to?"

And so the pair of them walked arm and arm down the path, chatting like old friends.

Strange how people can change in the blink of an eye, isn't it?

…

_Okay, so, that evil little hint? That's actually a pretty good hint for what's up ahead. And since it's been so long since I updated, I'll give you something else to chew on as well._

_**Hopefully in the next chapter, if not that then certainly the one after that, we will finally meet Naraku for the very first time!**_

…

_Yeah, don't kill me too hard, please. I like my head, sir._

_Roar!_

_Well, the Review Lion is at it again folks! So I'd review if I were you, before she's got a chance to MapQuest you._

_Anyways, I just have one more thing to say-_

_IT'S A BLOODY PARODY!!!! PARODIES ARE SUPPOSED TO BE STUPID!!!!!!!_

_Sigh…_

_Okay, there, I vented. I feel better now._

…

_Sincerely_

_Pwalefriend_


	38. Spring For It

_**A special thank you to…**_

_**Lightning Dragon Alchemeist…ffgirlmoonie…sasha the water goddess…silverkonekatsukari…Avelyn Lauren…animeobsession260…AznxAngel…Ayjah… Charcoal.Rose…readingwriting wench…Punk Rock Miko2…Clouds of the Sky…Goddess of the Moonlit Sky…chiclet180…Jaded Angel of Light…thiev…bdrake07…sweetrosie…Watching Eternity…Amaya Mishugosha…I Laugh at ur Pain…iamthefish…**_

_**I apologize for any misspellings. I've broken my glasses again and the keyboard's a bit fuzzy about the edges.**_

_Disclaimer:_

_The Moon: Hello everyone!_

_(The characters all edge away, or rather run away very fast)_

_Jenny: …Erm…Okay, even **I** don't know who this one is…_

_Pwale: (Beaming happily) She's someone who's very nice to me and keeps helping me on a different plane of existence, but I don't know how to repay her there, so I'm having a cameo in my disclaimer here! She's The Moon, she keeps scaring my sanity away!_

_Everyone: …_

_Lawyer #1: How does this lead to a disclaimer?_

_(The characters are all busy wondering what's wrong with this strange new lady, and why she is helping that fiend we all know and love as Pwale)_

_(Well, they'd like to interject that they know me as Pwale, but they certainly don't love me)_

…

_Sesshomaru: And further more-_

_The Moon: Quiet you! (Turns to readers) Pwalefriend doesn't own the characters._

_(Pwale nods)_

_Pwale: Yeah! You hear that? That'll teach you!_

_(Pwale kicks Lawyer #2 on the shin)_

_Lawyer #2: Ow! What was that for?!_

_Inuyasha: AIEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!_

_(The other Inuyasha characters fall down in pain, covering their eyes)_

_Inuyasha Characters: It burns! It burns!_

_Pwale: That's the other reason she's here. She's the only one I knew who had that dress. Thanks, by the way._

_(The Moon grins)_

_The Moon: My pleasure._

…

_**The Stamp of Gold**_

_**Spring For It**_

…

Spring. What a season. What a season.

Spring had always brought such good luck to him. It had been Spring when he had crushed that little hanyou brat into a lump of depressed and self-pitying mush. It had been Spring when he'd gained his greatest trophy yet, and this Spring he hoped to gain one greater still.

"Such a lovely day out, is it not, my dear?" Naraku asked, brushing Kikyo's hair away from her neck. He stood behind her, his hands on her shoulders, as they both gazed out the window. "And such a lovely view you have from this window. You must be very happy with the garden."

"…Yes." Kikyo said. "I am."

"You mustn't go out today, dear." Naraku said. "It will certainly rain later, and you would certainly die all alone in the cold."

With that he left her, and as if in echo of his words the overcast sky rumbled threateningly and rain began to pour down on the dead garden. Kikyo spent the entire day watching the little innocent rain drops wash away all her little plants that had been killed that night in a late frost. As she watched she smiled a little smile, as if laughing at a private joke.

…

Fortunately, our main cast doesn't include that incredibly creepy lady. And this chapter of our story shall focus not on her, (thank Life) but instead on someone a lot more basic, a lot more loveable, and a lot less twisted and complex about how unhappy they are with the falling rain.

Inuyasha was sitting at the window in the main parlor, glaring out at the fallen rain, while Kagome tried to teach him how to play Go Fish. Inuyasha kept trying to explain to her that if there wasn't any betting he didn't see the point of cards, but Kagome didn't seem to get it. And she was currently searching for the last card that he had thrown over his shoulder when he was particularly frustrated. Neither of them were all that happy.

Inuyasha sighed. Rain. He didn't like rain. He didn't like Spring all that much either. He didn't dislike it, but he didn't enjoy it. It was just _there_. Cold and wet and rainy and muddy. And Winter was cold and wet and cold. And Summer was hot a dry and over-ripe. And fall was chilly and frozen and…_there_.

Stupid Seasons.

Inuyasha tried to think of something that he particularly liked at that moment, but came up with nothing.

'_I don't like salad.'_ He thought. _'It's cold and limp and green. And boring. And I don't like jump ropes. Those are stupid girly things that I never got the hang of. I especially hate stupid jump ropes, actually. And trains. They're so loud and gross and annoying. And they always seem to go by just when you want quiet. And they're uncomfortable. Travel in general is uncomfortable. Everyone should just stay at home all the time. Maybe then there wouldn't be as many wars. And that's another thing! All those wars. The world sucks. Those prats in charge don't know **anything**, the stupid gits. And then there's-'_

"Stop thinking resentful thoughts about the world in general and get down here." Kagome snapped, interrupting his inner rant. "We're going to try this again. And _no throwing away the cards_ this time!"

"Did you find the card?" Inuyasha asked as he sat down on the oriental rug in front of Kagome, watching her deal his cards with a bored eye. "And how did you know I was thinking resentful thoughts about the world in general?"

"You were wearing your I-Hate-The-World-In-General Face." Kagome told him, finished dealing and now stacking the cards into a neat little pile and setting the stack down in between them. "And no, I didn't. So I got rid of its mate. Now you start."

"How do I start again?"

"Agh! You ask me for a card!"

"Oh…Can I have an Ace?"

"…Inuyasha, I've got all four aces…"

"Hey! Now I know your cards!"

"Inuyasha, do you have an ace?"

"No."

"You can't ask for cards unless you have one of them."

"But then you'll know what cards I have."

"That's part of the game!"

"Besides, shouldn't we cast lots first?"

Kagome screamed in frustration and gave up. Instead of continuing the torture, she went to the kitchen to get something sugary and sweet. She liked sugary sweet things. They were a lot nicer then Inuyasha.

Inuyasha chuckled to himself as he watched her stalk off. Now he felt _much_ better. But he still wasn't feeling quite the thing he had to admit…

"Oh _Kagome_!" He sang as he trailed after her, scattering cards as he went, just like confetti.

…

Well, isn't it a shame that we have to leave them there? I'd love to tell you how their day progressed, I really would, it's a charming bit, but unfortunately _our_ story must now take a slightly more disturbing turn.

"Ah. You finally deigned to arrive?"

"The train was late. Some idiot thought the tracks would be a good sheep crossing."

Naraku shook his head sadly.

"The ignorance of farmers." He said mournfully. "They never think about anyone else's convenience."

"Don't I know it." Koga said, slumping into the large cushioned chair that was in the corner of the room and taking a large gulp of his scotch.

"So, down to business." Naraku said, leaning forward, a sadistic gleam in his eyes. "Why don't you tell me about this latest week? How was it for you?"

Koga snorted.

"You remember that wench I told you about, Kagome?" Koga said. "Well, I _thought _that she'd have left with her family, but apparently not! I ran into her the other day."

"And how did that meeting go?"

"I was perfectly nice to her, of course! If I wasn't she'd probably go whining to Takahashi and then I'd lose my position, which I can't. I just _can't_. So we walked and chatted like old friends." Koga snorted in disgust and drank another gulp of his scotch, swearing.

Naraku nodded.

"You seem particularly angry with Higurashi Kagome. Care to elaborate?"

"I'm not really sure how I feel about her…"

You see dear readers, believe it or not, Naraku was Koga's psychiatrist. I know it seems cliché, but where do you think all those soap operas got it? That's right. From this here story.

"Ah, yes, I see…" Naraku thought for a moment. "Koga, I have an idea. Something that may make you feelings regarding Higurashi Kagome a little more clear. Be warned, it's highly illegal."

Koga looked up happily. Naraku's "highly illegal" treatments were the whole reason he was Naraku's patient. He didn't have money, so he paid with information about the Takahashi household. In return Naraku listened to his problems, gave him drugs and every once in a while taught Koga a little bit about the type of magic Naraku specialized in.

Half an hour later, lounging on the floor, Koga had an epiphany.

"I hate her." He said wonderingly. "I completely hate her."

Naraku nodded once more. This was going exactly where he wanted it. Soon he'd finally break Inuyasha completely, and once that happened he'd finally get the Shikon no Tama. Just a little more of a push…

"So why don't you do something about it?" Naraku hinted. "You're strong enough."

Koga stared down at his hands, as if he'd never seen them before, and then he got up and walked out of the room. He moved quickly, but he teetered and tottered as he went, unable to quite keep his balance. Pity no one noticed. Naraku watched him leave and then chuckled to himself.

This was going perfectly.

Most self-respecting people would have called the arrangement monstrous, degrading, despicable, and lowly. But then again, most self-respecting people haven't ever been in the position where such an arrangement would seem benevolent.

The world is a funny place, is it not, dear reader?

…

_The end of this chapter._

_But don't worry. _

_The next one will be up soon._

_Actually, it's already up! _

_Still, review!_


	39. Ice Nine

_**A special thank you to all who reviewed the last chapter. I'm just posting this chapter before you review that one, so I can't name you. But you lot get special kudos! **_

_Disclaimer:_

_Inuyasha: Get…This…Thing…Off…ME!_

_Pwale: NEVER!!!! BWAH-HA-HA-HA-HA!!!!_

_Lawyer #1 and #2: Pwale. We'll only not take the dress off Inuyasha if you say it._

_Pwale: So if I say it you won't take the dress off Inuyasha?_

_Lawyer #1: …That's what I just said…_

_Lawyer #2: You just repeated what we just said…_

_Pwale: Repetition everywhere! Yay!_

_Mr. X: Pwale._

_Pwale: Fine. I don't own the characters._

**Note: This chapter, not so much with the laughs, y'know? My version of murder. Can you say…cliché? I will someday achieve a non-cliché murder scene. Someday! Someday!!**

_**The Stamp Of Gold**_

_**Ice Nine**_

_A story by Pwalefriend_

_Ice Nine is a reference to Kurt Vonnegut's book Cat's Cradle_

The day after the disastrous card game dawned bright and sunny and Kagome and Inuyasha, instead of having to deal with each other in close quarters again, both happily separated for their respective favorite outdoor activities. Inuyasha took to riding Tetsusaiga and Kagome to her favorite path.

Kagome walked down the path happily, enjoying the sunshine, the singing birds, the bright blue sky that fell through the foliage above her head like little bursts of sapphire life. The magic of the new life of Spring filled her to the bursting point, spilling out in her happy laughter that startled a nearby family of jays.

_Hey!_ They screeched as they took off. _Hey! Hey!_

Kagome giggled as she watched them fly away, and she waved. She knew she was acting silly, even as she started skipping down the path, but she couldn't help it! The look on Inuyasha's face as he trotted off on Tetsusaiga had made her so happy! It wasn't every day she got to know she was the cause of her love's delight.

That thought sobered her up a little. Her love? Sure, she'd known it for a long while now, but had she ever actually admitted it to herself? Kagome thought back, and couldn't remember. She shrugged. On a beautiful day like today, that sort of thing didn't matter! It was a day to be happy! To be free! To laugh and to sing! Seeing, on the path up ahead, a familiar form, Kagome laughed and waved, running towards him.

"Koga!" She said. "Hello! Hello! Hello! Isn't it a _beautiful_ day!"

…

When Clingy suddenly appeared at the corner of Tetsusaiga eye the stallion spooked and reared, screaming, and it was minutes before Inuyasha could calm his mount enough to be able to hear what Clingy was shrieking. When he did Inuyasha's blood turned to ice.

"_Lord!"_ Clingy was shrieking. _"Help! Lady! Koga! Danger! Lord help!_"

'_Koga? Kagome? Danger?_' Inuyasha wondered. Then he figured it out.

Koga had probably come back from one of his filthy _excursions_ to see Naraku again, and had come across Kagome.

"Show me!" Inuyasha commanded, wheeling Tetsusaiga around and shooting out after Clingy as Clingy zipped off towards the forest.

Contrary to what Koga and Naraku believed, Inuyasha was perfectly aware of their arrangement, but he had never severed all ties to Koga. For one thing, even though Koga was an informant, he still knew too many valuable things that he'd probably never tell Naraku unless Inuyasha really and truly provoked him. For a second thing, keeping Koga was a good way of keeping tags on Naraku. And for a third and final thing, Koga was one of the few remaining survivors of the native tribe of wolf youkai that had lived on that land and so Inuyasha wasn't legally allowed to kick him off. Never mind that the rest of the tribe had either died of old age or told the government in no uncertain terms that they had sold that land ages ago and that Koga was a bit touched in the head. It had never made any sense to Inuyasha why he couldn't fire Koga; all he knew was that the government said he couldn't. Inuyasha, as a rule, liked to stay away from the government. The government also said that Inuyasha wasn't supposed to kill Koga.

Screw that.

Inuyasha was going to kill Koga so dead he wouldn't have a soul left to go to hell.

Inuyasha could feel the red rage building and when he thundered into sight of the attack and heard Kagome's screams of terror (she was actually screaming threats, but it was high pitched because she _was_ scared and Inuyasha wasn't listening to what she was actually saying) the red bloody anger rose up and flew through his mind, wiping out any rational thought, as he flew over the neck of Tetsusaiga, murderous intent filling every corner of his being.

When he came back to he was staring down at Koga's dead face, it was slack. Inuyasha's hands were stained red, and they were wrapped around Koga's ruined throat. It took him a moment to realize just whose blood it was.

Inuyasha threw himself back. Away from _it_.

A strangled cry came from behind him. Inuyasha whirled around. It was Kagome. And she was looking at him. Her eyes were huge and frightened. Frightened of _him_.

His curse had won. He'd killed.

And Kagome had seen it all.

Inuyasha turned around and ran away. Away from her frightened, accusing eyes.

…

Kagome stumbled numbly through the corridors to her room. Once she was there she collapsed on the bed, still numb. She knew that she ought to be upset but she wasn't. Some part whispered that she was in shock, but then another part (Kagome didn't hear either of these parts, they might have been her feet) argued back that if it was shock, shouldn't Kagome be thinking reasonably? Shouldn't her heart be silent and still while her brain took over and took care of them all?

Another part that Kagome didn't hear (rumor has it that it was her liver) said that Brain was probably off looking for Heart, who had probably run away, which was why no one was hearing anything about it from either.

At this point, and this I know for sure, Stomach cut in saying that it was going to be sick. Tongue and Taste Buds started to plead for mercy, but all for naught.

When Kagome finished throwing up into the tub in her adjoined bathroom, she emerged to find a note, crisp and white, on her bedside table.

_I have arranged for a private boxcar into town on the next train. There will be a rickshaw waiting for you at the station, it will take you to The Redmond- _

The Redmond was a prominent hotel. Very expensive. Very comfortable.

_-And tickets to see this night's opera. A showing of Madame Butterfly. You expressed, on several occasions, a wish to see that particular opera. Contact my agent in town this Saturday, and tell him the location of wherever you wish to go. Of course, you will find in your bank account all your salary for the next year as well as some compensation. _

The note wasn't signed, but there was no question that Inuyasha had written it.

Kagome blacked out. Later she could only assume that it was the Elementals that helped her dress and got her packed and down to the station in her unresponsive state. The next thing she knew she was staring out at the late afternoon landscape as it flashed by. She was wearing long gloves, sleeves and a veil. None of it was particularly unfashionable, so she didn't stand out. When the conductor asked her if she was all right, she seemed a little distraught, she said that there had been a riding accident, and she was going to town. The conductor didn't question further.

Neither did the rickshaw boy or the concierge when she replied to their questions. Though the concierge did send up a box of calming teas to her room. Kagome drank one that was labeled _Peace_ and waited for it to be time to go see _Madame Butterfly_. Somewhere, somehow, Brain started to hear the cries of Toes and Spleen (who were all out looking for Brain) and Brain finally got a clue and figured out that it's presence would be greatly appreciated.

…

Inuyasha watched in his Magic Mirror as Kagome got up to go to the opera. Sesshomaru and Kagura had brought him the mirror as a sort of joke, but before today it had never proved to be much use. Somewhere a voice (probably _his _feet as well, those guys are all with the sarcasm these days) told him that he was acting like the Beast in that old stupid French faerie tale he'd always hated. As deaf to his numerous inner organs and limbs as Kagome, Inuyasha never did hear the sarcastic commentary his two feet made throughout his entire life. If he had, he'd have probably chopped them off, so it's most likely a good thing that he never did hear them.

Instead he wallowed.

He wallowed in self-pity, self-loathing and every form of hatred one can direct towards oneself. Due to his own weakness, he had frightened Kagome away forever. Maybe someday she'd agree to come back, but only if she could be certain nothing like what had happened today would ever happen again. And outside of doping himself up on as much opium as he could get his hands on (and he knew Kagome would never approve of that) Inuyasha didn't know how he was supposed to do that.

Dully he realized that the servants and his family, and the Higurashis, would be coming back someday soon.

He didn't know how to deal with that either.

He had already had the Elementals get rid of the body. He had sent the Elementals out and provided everything for Kagome. And now he didn't know how to do anything but watch her as she left him.

It was the end of the world.

He had carried that murderous thing with him for so long, it had to come out eventually. There had been little signs and showings before, like when he had burned down the mansion, but it was _nothing_ compared to this. And he had even taken the teas of Myoga's! It hadn't helped. Inuyasha supposed that something like this was unavoidable. Murphy's Law. What can go wrong, will go wrong.

Figures.

…

Kikyo glanced out the window at the now-dead garden. She wondered why it had stopped raining. Hadn't the forecast predicted rain for the whole week?

_Since when is the forecast ever right?_ Kikyo's left Foot asked scathingly.

_Never!_ Kikyo's right Foot replied.

"You're both completely right. One should never rely on the forecast." Kikyo agreed with her Feet, and went on her way.

…

_So! Once again I tried my hand at angst, though I tried to combine it with some humor, hoping to make it less cliché._

…

_I don't think it worked._

_Sigh. I've gotta work on that. _

_Anyway! Two chapters in one day! Aren't you all so proud! Please review!_

_**Roar!**_

_See! The Review Lion is proud of me! Please review!_


	40. Shake Your Booty

_**Right, more importantly then anything else, THIS IS MY BIRTHDAY CHAPTER!!!! So all must review. As it is my birthday. YAY FOR ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**_

…

…

_**WHAT HAVE I SAID ABOUT FLAMES, PEOPLE?!?!?! You wanna flame? Fine. But you leave a way for me to contact you, 'cause otherwise you're a coward. I've got no problem with you telling me your objections. None at all. But when I have objections to a story (and I've yet to ever flame, I like to think, I try to balance it out, though sometimes I can't do that to my satisfaction) I don't leave it anonymous. If an artist can't defend her opinion, her take, then you've got no right to comment. Maybe you don't feel that way? Too bad. It's MY opinion. So either deal, or don't flame. **_

_**A special thank you to…**_

_**NOBODY!!!! BWAH-HA-HA-HA-HA!!! Oh…Well…Except for these people…(I think I'm in a particularly bad mood or something, itchy feet maybe)…Erm…Okay, there's a lot of reviews, and it's really confusing…Erm…Okay, a special thank you to everyone who reviewed! You know who you are! I'll go back to me usual way next chapter, it's just I'm…well…LAZY!!!! BWAH-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA!!!**_

_**(Birthday chapter! I can get away with anything!)**_

_Disclaimer: _

_Pwale: In the town where I was born_

_There lived a man who sailed the seas_

_And he told us of his life_

_Hunting down_

_Evil fiends!_

_We all live in a purple submarine_

_A purple submarine_

_A purple submarine!_

_We all live in a-_

_Sesshomaru: What did we do to deserve this?_

_Kagome: My life is flashing before my eyes…_

_Pwale: And so we sailed out to the sun_

_Until we found Sengoku Jidai_

_And we kidnapped all the characters_

_But we still do not own them!_

_We all live in a purplish canteen_

_A purplish canteen _

_A purplish canteen!_

_We all live in a-_

_Lawyers #1 and #2: Hey! That didn't rhyme!_

_**The Stamp of Gold**_

_**Shake Your Booty**_

_By Pwalefriend_

_(Show 'em how it's done now! Show 'em how it's dooooooone!_

_Readers: Isn't it enough that you make us bear that cruel joke of a title! Must you really sing that __**wretched song**_

_Pwale: You can, you can do it, very well! You're the, best in the world, I can tell!_

_Readers: SHUT UP!!!!!!!!)_

…

Kagome, dressed in a splendid evening gown of green satin that had mysteriously appeared in her trunk, calmly and coolly walked into her opera box. She had been most fortunate, she told herself, that the Elementals had thought to pack something so appropriate, as well as get her a private box, despite it being so expensive. Pointedly she ignored the voice that told her that was total rubbish and it had been Inuyasha who did all that, not the Elementals who could barely grasp the concept of identity, let alone propriety (you an I both know that voice was probably the ever-sarcastic left-foot). Kagome still just wasn't ready to deal with all the thoughts that were sure to follow any thought one had regarding Inuyasha. These thoughts included death, gore, blood, murder, fright, terror, really creepy red eyes and the occasional inside joke.

All in all, Kagome found the process of slowly coming out of a shock a rather uncomfortable one, and she hoped that the opera would distract her to the extent that she would be able to calm down enough to be able to come to a decision.

She had, of course, given up the hope of coming to an unbiased decision once she caught herself wondering what other people were going to say.

Wondering what other people were going to say wasn't actually something Kagome had ever really done before.

It was a great blow to her ego.

So she decided to go watch people make asses of themselves instead. Always a good decision in my book.

Kagome settled herself in her seat as elegantly as she was able (just for the heck of it) and was subjected to the most horrible rendition of Madame Butterfly that the Laws of Nature could possibly allow.

_I don't believe this_. Her right foot said.

…

If the whole situation hadn't been so thrice-damned wretched, Inuyasha would have most certainly been laughing his head off at the opera. I won't go into details of it, as I don't want to be sued for broken floors and chairs and of "Deaths by Laughter". Let's just say, it would have had Inuyasha laughing.

Of course, the situation _was_ so thrice-damned wretched, so instead of laughing the poor lad was actually fighting back tears.

And it was when Inuyasha was in the middle of a bout of particularly nasty self loathing and self pity and all together really annoying pathetic behavior as he stared into the Magic Mirror and muttered angrily at himself, that he saw something, or rather, someone coming up behind Kagome.

"What in the name of-"

…

"Excuse me." Came a voice from behind Kagome. "I notice that this seat is empty."

Kagome, surprised a little bit, turned around and received as much of a shock as one can get when one has gone _into_ shock, pardon my pun.

Kikyo was standing right there. _Right there_. The wench was holding out a bottle of wine (high quality), two glasses and was smiling as blissfully as one of those perfect little angelic children from storybooks who would always be really disturbing in real life.

A scarier sight you never did see.

Kikyo sat down, poured the wine, and handed Kagome one of the glasses. Then she raised her own.

"To us." Kikyo said, also raising an eyebrow. As if in a trance, Kagome lightly touched her own glass to Kikyo's, almost enjoying the pretty little clink it made. Some part (probably that loveable left-foot again) realized that if she was spacey enough to notice the pretty little clink then she should probably get her act together.

Even if it _did_ have a nice dramatic effect.

As Kikyo sipped her wine, Kagome stared down at its dark red depths. _'I don't drink.'_ She realized. _'But if I did I'd definitely be drinking right about now. Ah well. Bottoms up.'_ And Kagome drowned the whole cup in one gulp. Kikyo, unfortunately, had a competitive streak and was forced to do the same.

Now, let's not get ahead of ourselves here, I know what you're thinking. But believe it or not, Kagome can actually hold her liquor. Kikyo, as it happened, could not. Kikyo's tongue was loosened, and Kagome (fearing that she was drunk and not able to tell if she was or wasn't) was being extra-extra careful about what she let slip.

Neither of the girls was aware that the upper hand had just switched. Life can be _pretty_ annoying that way.

…

_Okay, I know that it was shockingly short, BUT IT'S MY BIRTHDAY CHAPTER!!!!!!!! So to get away with it all I had to update while still in the general vicinity of my birthday, so you get a chapter and I get a short chapter, EVERYBODY WINS!!! Well, except for the characters. They're losing a lot lately._

**Ro-Roar, Roar roar, roar roar. **

_The Review Lion says that she's sorry, but you have to review because this is my birthday chapter, even if it is a pretty lame chapter._

_Till next time!_

_Sincerely_

_Pwalefriend_


	41. Take It Or Leave It

_**A special thank you to…**_

_**Avelyn Lauren…IYgal44354…Clouds of the Sky…manga-is-my-anti-drug…xxxHallia…Watching Eternity…bdrake07…angelqt1231…Ztatsylime…sweetrosie… Ayjah…TrueBelle…Le Auteur De Fantaisie…thiev…MeiunTenshi…silvekonekotsukari… ffgirlmoonie…iamthefish (What?)…I Laugh at ur Pain…**_

…

_Disclaimer:_

_Pwale: I don't own the characters._

_Everyone (Readers included): …_

_Pwale: …_

_Everyone (Readers included): …Not again…_

_Pwale: RANDOM HIPPO TIME!!!! YAY!!!_

_Insert Random Rampaging Hippo Here_

…

_**The Stamp Of Gold**_

_**Take It Or Leave It**_

_By Pwalefriend_

…

Kikyo got down to the point right away, after all, she'd never been one to beat about the bush. I mean, she had been once, but then she'd gone crazy. And she was drunk. So she forgot that she liked to beat about the bush, so she just got on with it.

Just like I'm about to do.

"We want you on our side." Kikyo told Kagome, not speaking in riddles because she was drunk and unlike drunks who slur Kikyo (when she got drunk) just stopped talking in riddles for a blessed little while.

Kagome raised an eyebrow.

"Whose side and what side?" Kagome asked. "No one's been really clear about what the whole deal is. In fact, I don't think anyone's really said it." Kikyo shrugged.

"Basically we all hate each other's guts and don't want to deal, but none of us are willing to move. Well, I am, and most of the people who live down at the Feudal Era mansion are, but neither Naraku nor Inuyasha will ever do it, so that's the rub. So, unless something breaks, the rest of us are all screwed." Kikyo grinned. "Personally, I'd prefer if the thing breaking were Inuyasha. More wine?"

…

Through the Magic Mirror Inuyasha watched with consternation as Kikyo continued to elaborate on his faults, saying he was uncontrollable and unreliable, saying that there was no hope for him, that he'd never go back to the way his was before the _incident_ (the incident being the whole Naraku-Curses-Inuyasha business and the way he was before was mild-mannered and sweet, believe it or not). Kikyo asked how long it would be until Inuyasha's wild rage turned on _Kagome_, because from this point on the problem would only grow and grow and grow, and even if Naraku was somehow defeated, the curse wouldn't go away because it was tied to Inuyasha's soul, not to Naraku's.

How could Inuyasha deny it? It was all true. Kagome couldn't seem to think of anything to say either; she only stared down at the floor and remained silent.

Then Kikyo went on to say how _wonderful_ Naraku is. How he was a psychiatrist who so many townsfolk could speak for and depended on in times of need. How he was one of the most academically achieved people in the country. How when she had first come to be with him, he had discovered her love of gardens, and had spent nearly a month making one especially for her, with his own two hands. Naraku never raised his voice at her, and he never hit her. She'd never seen him fight with _anyone_ except for Inuyasha and he'd always seen that Kanna and Kagura had been provided with the best of things. He had, for a time, still tried to take care of them even after they'd abandoned him, what a dear!

To his horror, Inuyasha found that was all true as well. Only with a spin.

Naraku was a well-liked psychiatrist by many townsfolk. You could find most of those people in the local prison. He used his social standing to keep his vassals of the gallows.

Naraku was one of the most academically achieved men in the country. Though what he was achieved in was the filthier practices of the stereotypical occult that mothers tell their children about to frighten them into eating their vegetables.

Naraku _didn't_ fight with anyone. He considered it beneath him. He just killed them if he didn't like them.

Naraku had made sure that Kanna and Kagura had been provided with the best of things. Including poppy.

Naraku had tried to keep a hold on Kanna and Kagura after they'd escaped him. The result was that Kagura was unable to bear children.

Inuyasha didn't know about the garden thing, but it was probably seeded with poisonous plants that had no other value or something.

But Inuyasha had to admit, Kikyo hadn't lied. Not once. Throughout the entire ordeal Kagome remained silent.

Inuyasha sighed and turned off the Magic Mirror as Kikyo handed Kagome a card and left. Kikyo had been right. He was a monster. He had no right to watch Kagome's fair visage.

He didn't know that Kagome left the opera after that.

…

Well, he knew about five minutes later when he changed his mind and turned the Magic Mirror back on again, but hey, you've got to give him points for at least _trying_ to be a less creepy and invasive type of pathetic.

…

Kagome walked slowly back to the hotel, mulling over what had just happened.

She had to admit, Kikyo had a point.

And it was also blatently obvious that Kikyo was one of the bad guys.

But did that necessarily mean that Inuyasha was one of the good guys? Kagome knew that it might be cliché for her to say so, but weren't good guys supposed to conquer their inner enemies and _not_ kill people? Weren't the good guys supposed to be all good and perfect and always win in the end? Why did real life have to be like real life when it was so fantastical and _story-like_. It should just make up it's mind!

Kagome knew that was a pointless hope. As if Real Life would listen to _her_. If it wouldn't make itself known to Odysseus, who by right should have died if not in Troy then at least at _some point_ on the way home, then there was no way it would leave her alone.

Stupid Real Life. It sucked.

Though, admittedly, if she had to live happily ever after she'd probably die of boredom but be too happy to figure out that she was bored because she had to happy all the time. That would suck too.

Kagome gave her head a little shake, and tried to get back on topic. A glint of shiny yellow in the corner of her eye caught her attention and (because Kagome is human and us humans are compulsively drawn to shiny object, especially if they're pretty metal) saw in the same stationary window she'd looked at her first trip into town the little golden stamp. Kagome stared at the stamp for a moment and then gave it a crooked smile.

"Who knows?" She said. "I keep staring at you. And you haven't been bought yet. Maybe you're my one true love and my only soul mate, reincarnated as a stamp, through no fault of your own. You silly love of mine."

Watching the Magic Mirror, Inuyasha wondered if Kagome had gone insane. Both his and Kagome's left feet agreed.

Kagome's brain informed them all that they could all go to heck. She was perfectly fine, thank you very much, and you could save your concern for someone who needed it. Sheesh. Feet these days.

"They keep asking me to choose a side." Kagome said, kneeling down and continuing to talk to the stamp. "A side in _what_, exactly? Oh, I won't take the job, but I think I need a vacation." Kagome gave a little disgusted sigh. "Everyone _else_ is always taking vacations! But do _I_ ever get to take a vacation?_ No_. They don't even ask me if I want to go to India or the Bahamas or wherever it was that they were headed! They just take off and leave! My own family! While here I am, working my _ass_ off for their sake!"

Kagome conveniently forgot that she hadn't been able to give the children one of their lessons in over a month and the most exciting _her_ lessons on Witchery got was debating theory with Inuyasha who refused to allow her to try anything else since the first disastrous (and painful) lesson with Kagura.

Instead Kagome's thoughts turned to her little students and she was seized with a horrible longing to see their happy faces. She had to admit it, she missed Shippo and Rin and Satsuki. _They_ certainly weren't bad guys.

And neither was Sango. Sango and Kagome had been best friends since a young age, accidentally meeting in a city brawl and whaling on each other until the realized that they were the only girls and were forever bonded by being the only Girls Who Dared To Play With The Boys (to this title the other girls would later add Those Hussies while the boys would later add Good Chaps, Those Two).

Sango wasn't a bad guy, no more then sweet loveable Kohaku was.

Miroku, for all his faults, wasn't a bad guy.

Kaede wasn't a bad guy.

None of the servants were bad guys.

Kanna and Kagura weren't bad guys.

Sesshomaru, Kagome wasn't so sure of. He wasn't so much a bad guy, so much of I Love To Make My Brother Cry guy.

Koga hadn't been a bad guy until he'd attacked her. Did that mean he was a bad guy now? When he'd been her friend for so long?

Was Inuyasha a bad guy?

Was Kikyo even really a bad guy? It was quite obvious that she was stark raving mad. Could she really be held accountable for her actions?

That left Naraku. If all the others weren't necessarily bad guys, was it fair that he was too? Could it be possible for there to only be one bad guy? If all the other's had another side, was it possible for him to just be evil? Kagome didn't think so.

But then what did that leave her with?

Kagome had by now reached her hotel and was starting to walk around it. The doorman put a hand on her arm and Kagome looked up at him curiously.

"You shouldn't be out here this late, miss." He said. "This isn't the nicest of towns after dark."

"I'll be careful." Kagome told him.

"Still, miss," he said. "If you must walk, do it on this block where I can see you, yes?"

So Kagome paced up and down the block in front of the hotel, thinking.

She had a choice in front of her. And as far as she could tell she had three options.

One: She could go back to Inuyasha, discuss things with her family when the returned, and they'd decide as a group what to do, since her income was also their income.

Two: She could take Kikyo up on the offer, and walk a new path that she just didn't have any idea about. A path that was most likely going to try and eat her every few steps.

Three: She could just disappear and start somewhere new.

Option number Two was stupid.

Option number Three would make her sad and lonely and running away never works because people have this annoying habit of finding you anyways.

That left option number One, but Kagome wasn't sure she was comfortable with that one.

She supposed she could stay at the hotel until her family returned, but that would be asking for trouble from Naraku and she couldn't afford the room for much longer then a few days which means she would be further indebted to Inuyasha and Kagome found that she, at that particular moment in time, was _rather_ uncomfortable with the thought.

Round and round it goes, where it stops, nobody knows.

Kagome kept on pacing and pacing, thinking and thinking. At one in the morning she was preparing to go inside when, out of all the totally unexpected and cliché things to happen, out of all the numerous things that could have happened, Kagome tripped.

At first she thought that she was just being clumsy.

Then she heard people waking up and starting to scream, and she heard glass starting to break.

Miles away at the Feudal Era mansion Tensaiga and Tetsusaiga began to scream in equine terror. Inuyasha dove under his sturdy wooden desk and covered his ears and face with his hands as the Magic Mirror slid off the wall and shattered to pieces.

The Earth herself was expressing her annoyance with this continual bickering that mankind is so prone towards.

So she started trying to shake them off.

Kagome looked, in a panic, for cover as the earthquake mounted in ferocity and pieces of architecture began to fall with dusty crashes all around her.

_Oh shit._ Said her left foot. _This is ridiculous!_

…

_A bunch of drugs can be made out of poppy, some of them opiates. Way back when it was used as a sedative to keep people quiet. I think. This isn't my area of expertise, but I've read a lot of books where that happened, so for the sake of the argument I'll pull a sheep and believe what I read._

…

_Well, how do you like that! I updated rather quickly, I like to think._

_**ROAR!!!**_

_Well, the Review Lion is impressed with how quickly I updated and that this chapter actually has some substance, so she and her Candy Monsters and Helper Ninjas will be working full force this time, so you'd better review…OR THEY'LL BE COMING FOR __**YOU**_

…

_Hey! That rhymes!_

_(Jenny, Al and Lia hit Pwale over the head)_

_Well, till next time!_

…

_Sincerely_

_Pwalefriend_


	42. Stand Up In The Middle

_**When I first posted this chapter, there was something horribly wrong with the formatting. I'm sorry to anyone who was inconvienenced by this! I'm not sure what sort of effect it's going to have... **_

_**A special thank you to…**_

_**demander-of-logic…Clouds of the Sky…Ayjah…readingwriting wench…TrueBelle…bdrake07…Avelyn Lauren…ffgirlmoonie… IYgal44354…silverkonekotsukari…Watching Eternity… iamthefish…mangafreak16…jesse10132…TouchofPixieDust…MeiunTenshi…WynnFire…chiclet180…Amaya Mishugosha… Eye's of the Rose…I Laugh at ur Pain…**_

_Disclaimer:_

_Mr. X: You monster! You get off that hippo right now!_

_Pwale (Who is gallivanting around with the hippo): Never! Yoo-hoo!_

_Shippo: I know I'm going to regret asking this, BUT HOW DOES THIS HIPPO LEAD TO A DISCLAIMER?!?!_

_Pwale: Read this side!_

_(Written on the side of the hippo in big white letters is "Pwale Doesn't Own The Inuyasha Characters…Legally, Anyway.")_

_Shippo: …Yep. I knew I would regret it. But I just __**had**__ to ask, didn't I? Sigh…_

_**Oh my Gods, I am **__**so sorry**__**! I really thought that I was going to update sooner then this! Two weeks till school ends and the teachers get together and say "Wow this year was short! Hey! I've got a great idea! Let's pile the work on now!" **_

_**So, to make up for it, this chapter is LONG and EXCITING! **_

…

_**The Stamp Of Gold**_

_**Stand Up In The Middle**_

_By Pwalefriend_

…

When Kagome opened her eyes the first thing she saw (and breathed) was dust. Once she was done hacking, she ventured from the doorway where she had taken refuge and she looked around. What met her eyes can aptly be described in one short sentence.

A horrendous mess.

Kagome barely had time to consider the strewn cement, the broken glass, the torn street and the still-crumbling city around her that was slowly starting to burn when the situation started to set in. There had been an earthquake. And judging from the way things kept falling, she was probably going to die. Normal people would've started to panic then. Normal people did. But Kagome wasn't a normal person. So instead of panicking she ran off to help the normal people who were panicking, because that was the exact moment the normal people started screamed.

…

Inuyasha didn't bother looking for the remains of the Magic Mirror in a desperate attempt to find Kagome. Instead his thought process went something like this-

There had been an earthquake.

She hadn't been protected.

She might be dead.

Damn, the room is a mess.

It was his entire fault.

He had to get there.

He had to get to Kagome now.

Tetsusaiga wouldn't get him there fast enough.

"Clingy!" Inuyasha shouted. "Clingy!"

"Yes, lord?" Clingy bounced in front of him.

_Well, this is by far the stupidest thing he's ever done._ Inuyasha's left foot said.

_We're all going to die_. Said the right foot.

_What the-_ Said the brain. _Hold up you idiot! I'm saying __**DON'T**__ make a World Mare! __**Don't! Not Do!**_

_We're definitely dead._ Agreed the kidney.

_Kagome! _Bemoaned the heart.

_SHUT UP!!!_ They all screamed at it.

Yes, dear reader, Inuyasha was going to change Clingy into the World Mare, a means of transportation faster then any we have yet developed, unfortunately the process (though quick and short) normally kills the person trying to make a World Mare (which is why it's usually quick and short). To this day not even I have any idea what possessed Inuyasha to turn Clingy into one, since the only part of him not saying _DON'T DO IT!!! DON'T DO IT!!!_ was his heart and that's only because his heart was too busy whining Kagome's name to say anything that was relevant to the situation.

However, I think the brain can take a well-earned round of applause for the success of the venture. It worked incredibly hard to achieve something incredibly difficult under incredibly stressful circumstances. Let's give it a round of applause, everybody!

See, Inuyasha's Brain? _We _appreciate you. Keep on trucking there, buddy! We're all rooting for you!

Anyway, back to the story.

…

Kagome ran past burning and fire and pain and death and tragedy, which were usually happening all at the same time like a Three Ring Circus. Finally she arrived at where she was running.

It was a boarding home, one for Single Young Ladies of the Working Class, which basically meant We'll Let You Live Here, You Dirt Poor Wretches, If You Bend Over Backwards And Do Three Flips Like A Dog.

Kagome had lived in one of these houses. Not this particular one, but another one in the big city that was all to similar. In fact the only difference was that here they made you pay through the nose. Back at the one Kagome had lived at they made you pay from a slightly more southern region. It had been after her father's death, when they had first been kicked out of their homes. Kagome's colleagues, professors, mentors and her father's old friends had all abandoned them. Kagome had been unable to continue her education, let alone afford decent living standards. She had pawned off all their belongings, even the ones of no value, and had managed to buy her mother a tiny one-room apartment. Her mother and grandfather were of failing health and her brother was too young to work a respectable job and too troublesome to work a none-respectable job. Kagome had started working at the boarding house where she lived to pay off their debts and to pay her living fines and her mother's rent fees. It hadn't worked very well. She was on the brink of giving up with her father's oldest friend had come to her with a letter from Sango.

A letter that had saved the lives of her and her family. And here she was, running for her life from the person who'd saved their lives because he'd saved her life by taking another's life.

I think I may have mentioned it before, but ain't life _ironic_?

Kagome shoved her skirts out of the way and fell to her knees and began scrabbling at the rubble, she was in the process of pulling a rather heavy rock off of what looked dreadfully and horribly like a dismembered arm, when a polite cough came from behind her. Kagome turned and found she was staring at a scary looking old guy.

She blinked.

_Oh, no. _She corrected herself. _He's not old; he just looks as if he should be. I guess it's the tie. It looks like one my professors all used to wear_.

"Kagome Higurashi." Said the man, smiling coolly at her with an undeniable charm. "May I help you up?"

Kagome blinked again. She swore in her mind. _He's Naraku_. She thought. And she was right. He _was_ Naraku. There was something completely and utterly _Naraku-esque _about him. Whether it was the slimy yet self confident way he carried himself or the evil aura that practically seeped out of his pores in a way that made most people subconsciously _very_ glad they couldn't see auras, and made people who could see auras _very_ consciously wish that they couldn't. Kagome was a mixture of the two. She was very consciously glad that she couldn't see auras, because she knew without a glimmer of a doubt that his would be simply revolting.

As subtly as she could manage Kagome palmed half a brick and wished that her hands were bigger, so that then she'd have been ableto subtly palm half a brick.

"Naraku." She said. "Why don't you help with these people?"

Naraku surveyed the damage. Kagome thought that his expression had not changed until he looked down at her and she saw, to her surprise, honest confusion.

"Why?" He asked.

Now, some of you may think that Naraku was saying this to be mean and cruel and evil so that after a little lead up he could use his patented evil laugh, the famous _Ku ku ku ku_. But this is not so! No, dear readers, Naraku quite honestly hadn't _the faintest idea whatsoever about why he should help the pained and dying people buried underneath the rubble_. Naraku wasn't an evil guy by choice; he was just naturally drawn that way. He was like a cynic, only without the funny part, and a lot more intense.

Kagome gaped at him, shocked.

"What do you _mean_, 'Why?'" Kagome demanded angrily. "They're _hurt_, that's why!"

"But I don't know them, and I don't care to." Naraku explained patiently, as if explaining to a child who had just asked why the sky was blue and then after a long talk about pigments and particles and reflections had asked "So there are lots of shiny rocks in the sky, right?"

"But…But they're _hurt_!" Kagome said. "When people are hurt you should try to help! That's just how the world works!" Naraku raised an eyebrow and Kagome dejectedly amended herself. "That's how the world _ought _to work." Kagome mumbled.

"Maybe." Naraku shrugged. "That's your opinion. Normally I wouldn't argue, but I certainly don't want any employees of _mine_ rooting around in the dirt. Get up this instant."

"I'm _not_ your employee!" Kagome snapped, glaring. "I already _have_ a job, thank you very much! And it pays well too!"

"Oh?" Naraku looked amused at something. "You refuse my offer because you prefer a murderer to working for me?"

"Inuyasha is _not_ a murderer!" Kagome glared at Naraku, not really even noticing that she was rising to the hanyou's defense. "He killed Koga in defense of me! Which legally counts as self-defense! So _there_!"

"Oh, I wasn't referring to Inuyasha." Naraku said, taking a step closer. "Did it sound like I was referring to Inuyasha? I'm sorry. Allow me to change a few words of my statement." Naraku took another step closer and Kagome's grip on her half brick tightened and she stared up at Naraku a little feebly. He was a rather imposing figure. "I meant to say," Naraku continued. "That rather then work for me, you chose to _face_ a murderer."

Kagome wasted no time then. She leapt to her feet, swung the half brick at Naraku's head (unfortunately the brick sailed right past Naraku, though it did graze his ear a little bit) and took off like a hare from the hounds, all in one swift and fluid motion that looked a little bit silly to the casual observer.

Naraku chuckled to himself.

"Ku ku ku ku ku." He laughed. "Ku ku ku. Run, run, run, as fast as you can." And then Naraku began to follow at a leisurely pace. "Wait up, my dear!" He called happily. "You run ever so fast!" Naraku was one _creepy _bloke.

…

Meanwhile, in another part of the world, Kagura looked around the hotel room one last time.

"Well," she said to Mrs. Higurashi and Sesshomaru. "That's everything. Are we going to pay a surprise visit to Sango and Miroku, thus interrupting their honeymoon and probably getting a good laugh out of it, or go home, thus interrupting Inuyasha and Kagome and probably getting a good laugh out of it."

"Oh." Mrs. Higurashi said. "Let's go interrupt Sango and Miroku. The children are certainly looking forward to it, and I think Kohaku misses his sister more then any of us miss home."

"Right." Kagura nodded. "To-…Wait, where did they go again?"

There was a moment of silence.

"Didn't they elope unexpectedly?" Sesshomaru asked. The two women nodded. "Isn't the point of eloping so that no one will be able to find you?"

There was a second moment of silence.

"Well, that's so rude!" Mrs. Higurashi eventually snapped. She made a fist and thrust it into the air. "I vow that I will _not go home_ until I have found Sango and Miroku and _interrupted their honeymoon_!"

"Yeah!" Kagura shouted vehemently.

Sesshomaru shrugged.

"Me too." He said.

And so they stepped out of their hotel room, into the hot and steamy (and buggy, and disease-ridden) Amazon rainforest to tell their family and companions their new resolution.

It comes to my attention here that Kagome and Inuyasha both suffered from something known as the Relative Syndrome. Basically the Relative Syndrome works like this:

Where is your family when you need them most?

On the other side of the good ol' planet and wouldn't you know it, they forgot to leave an emergency contact number.

…

_When last we saw our heroine_ she was running away from the scary bad guy, who was chasing her at not only a slower pace, but also one that was a lot more graceful then hers.

Just adding insult to injury, he was! Salt in the wounds!

As we are now rejoining our heroine, only a few short moments have passed, but that same villain (by name, _Naraku_, a name that sounds as evil as he is) has cornered our heroine (Lovingly referred to as _Kagome_, the dear) in a dark alleyway.

_Whatever will she do next_?

…

_**Well, there you have it! **_

_**Sorry about the cliffie. I wrote it, and then I simply couldn't resist. I'll give you a teaser, if that makes it any better:**_

_**Kagome closed her eyes and tried again. This time she felt all of them, rising up and pounding on her boundaries, they wanted **__out__**, and she was going to give it to them. Kagome's left foot wondered what Naraku could have possibly done to make them so angry.**_

_**Well well well…What could that be?**_

_**The Review Lion demands Reviews!**_

_**ROOOOOAAAAR!!!!!**_

_**Yay! Oh nooo! There goes To-Ky-Yo! Go, Go Review Lion!**_

_**(Forgive me my geekiness, I'm not really that geeky. For example, I've never seen Godzilla. I just like the theme song. And only bits and pieces at that)**_

…

_**Oh, yes, Review Lion was planning to go eat Fishie, who's been very lax about reviewing. Unfortunately the cleaning ninja's got in the way, and now an epic battle is waging.**_

_**To learn about this epic battle, which will begin in the disclaimers of my next story, I demand an answer! **_

_**Would people rather see an AU, or a Non-AU? I'm torn, I'd like to answer a demand. Fill a spot, as it were. If there's a shortage of one type, I'd like to do my part. **_

_**Till next time!**_

_**TTFN**_

_**Ta Ta For Now!**_

_**Sincerely**_

_**Pwalefriend**_


	43. It's A Magical World, Hobbes Ol' Buddy

_**A bow of humblest gratitude and apologies for all who reviewed, I can't post all your names, but all of you who didn't review I suggest, in passing, to go look at the reviews so you can see all their wonderful, wonderful names.**_

* * *

_Disclaimer:_

_(See the battle ground, it is a doorway, the door might be blue, it might be yellow, it might be something else. Who am I to know? The cleaning ninjas hold their fists aloft, victorious, as the Review Lion falls to her knees. Pwale rushes forward, sobbing, as everyone else stands dumbly behind her. They are in shock)_

_Pwale: NOOOOOO!!!_

_(Pwale is on her knees, cradling the Review Lion's head in her lap)_

_Pwale: I'm sorry Review Lion! I'm so sorry! If only I'd been stronger! I'm so sorry!_

_Al: What happened?_

_Mr. X: I…I…I can't…Pwale cleaned her room…The Review Lion…lost…I just…_

_Al: I don't believe it._

_Mr. X: …What?_

_Al: No way Pwale cleaned her room. I don't believe it._

_Mr. X: But…But you were the one who was directing the cleaning ninjas!_

_Al: So?_

_Pwale: Al! How could you do this to the Review Lion! HOW?!_

_Al: Do what?_

_Mr. X: …Al…Are those __**blindfolds**_

_Al: No way Pwale __**actually**__ cleaned her room. It's probably all messy about the edges._

_Pwale: Why you-_

_Review Lion: …roar…_

_Pwale: Shh, don't talk, Review Lion, save your strength! (crying) I…I don't own the characters, Review Lion. I'll say it just for you!_

_Al: I just __**know**__ that Pwale's room it still messy._

…

_(This is based on a true story. You see, my room is usually the messiest room ever. I know everyone says it, but my room is the sort of room that my friends look at and say…"Ew…". This __**really**__ bugs Fishie, so for Christmas this year she made me a plushie of one of the ninjas in the comics I doodle when I'm bored and gave it to me. Then I discovered that it was actually one of her evil minions, the cleaning ninjas! Then she didn't review the last few chapters, so I set the Review Lion on her. The Review Lion was met with resistance from the cleaning ninjas and the cleaning ninjas triumphed. Fishie reviewed last chapter to say that the cleaning ninjas would triumph, so ha! And I…I cleaned my room. My room hasn't been cleaned in four years, when a friend of mine was so annoyed with the mess she came over unannounced and cleaned my room._

…

_Thing is, Fishie doesn't believe me that I actually cleaned it.)_

* * *

_**I also don't own the Calvin and Hobbes tribute that I'll be making for this chapter and the next one. Only, I couldn't resist. I usually do a Madeline tribute, but Calvin and Hobbes just really nailed it.**_

* * *

_**The Stamp Of Gold**_

_**It's a Magical World, Hobbes ol' buddy**_

_**By Pwalefriend**_

* * *

_When last we left our shero, she had been cornered by the bad guy in a dark alley way after an earthquake and was at a total loss._

Naraku laughed as he strode confidently toward Kagome. Why shouldn't he stride confidently? Here they were, all alone, in a dark dead-end notch between two broken buildings. She's completely defenseless, he knows it and he knows that she knows it. Sure, in a faerie tale this is the part where Inuyasha comes barreling in to save the day, but Inuyasha is miles and miles off, hasn't left his property in over five years and in all honesty can barely tell his left from his right.

What reason would Naraku possibly have to be anything but confident?

I'm sure that you, dear reader, are trying to see where I'm going with this. I'm sure you're thinking, "Okay, get on with whatever you're leading up to already." And I really wish that I could tell you that Kagome suddenly smirked and leapt forward with sudden magical prowess or some such thing. Unfortunately, I can't. I'm also trying to think of a reason why Naraku would be anything other then confident, just like you.

Coincidentally, so is Kagome. Though she's probably doing so a little more desperately then you and I.

'_Okay, okay…'_ She thought to herself. _'Think, Kagome, think! What'll he do to you if he catches you?'_

Kikyo's eyes, dead as doornails, flashed through her mind.

'_Let's see, it shouldn't be too hard to climb a brick wall after an earthquake_._'_

Kagome turned and began to frantically scrabble at the brick wall behind her, all the other walls were crumbling, surely this one was too! Her fingers found a tiny ledge and she was trying to pull herself up when there was a hand on her shoulder and Kagome found herself thrown against the other wall. She crumpled down and her vision filled up with crackling grey static. Naraku just stood and laughed and laughed and laughed. He couldn't, for some reason, stop laughing. It was actually starting to become quite painful and Naraku was doubled over clutching his stomach, but still he kept on laughing. Finally he managed to stop himself and he stumbled towards the unconscious girl who was lying prone before him. His hands circled around her neck and he lifted her up and began to squeeze, throttling the life from her breath. In the murky depths of her mind Kagome tried desperately to fight back, she tried to summon an Elemental like she'd read about, but she couldn't do it. In her Murky Depths Of The Mind time slowed down, and Kagome felt that she was enough at her leisure to recount her lessons to see if she was doing something wrong.

Now, you and I both know that when someone is strangling you and they really do mean to kill you, you don't have the time to consider your education, but this is the Murky Depths Of The Mind we're talking about here, and neither Brain nor any other part of the body have ever been able to get in there to help out, despite their best efforts.

_Okay_, Kagome thought. _Inuyasha's Elemantal is Earth, which is why he's got tree gnome things. My Elemental is Water, so I would be calling to the…oh damnit, I'm already doing something wrong! I forgot to decide which Water Elemental I call to! Okay, think, think, think! Right, so…I think mine is a fish so would mine be…erm…oh, I really just don't know...Oh, yeah._

In the Murky Depths Of The Mind Kagome concentrated every fiber of her being that wasn't in excruciating pain on contacted even a single Elemental. She cast out her awareness like a net, looking for any Elemental that might be nearby. She'd never done anything like this; she'd only ever read descriptions in study books. She'd never even seen a Elemental, she'd only ever seen field illustrations.

It was, without a doubt, the hardest thing she'd ever done. To be perfectly honest, she wasn't even all that sure how she did it. But do it she did.

Her feeble strength, to her surprise, managed to brush up against a single Elemental and it answered her call, more curious then anything else.

Water Elementals, Kagome recalled, weren't as flighty and bubbly as Air Elementals, who were tricksy little buggers. But they weren't nearly as steadfast as Earth Elementals or as passionate as Fire Elementals. Water Elementals tended to be a tad bit forgetful, a tad bit loving, a tad bit violent, a tad bit stronger, they tended to last a tad bit longer. They were, Kagome had once heard them described as, like tad little bits of sea.

Not like a water drop. They weren't what the sea _looked like_. They were what the sea _was_, only just a little bit of it.

In the Murky Depths Of The Mind Kagome thought she'd heard something like that somewhere, only referring to a horse. Then she remembered it had been in a book she'd read years ago and she shook off her non-sequitor moment without another thought to it.

The Water Elemental began to drift towards Kagome's consciousness, reaching towards This World from That World. But it was only slightly curious and when it didn't see anything interesting it snapped back.

Or so Kagome thought.

She _thought _that she wasn't strong enough, that her power was underdeveloped and that she was going to die. She was wrong.

It was then that from the Murky Depths Of The Mind Kagome realized that she was strong enough, that her power was perfectly developed, and that she _was_ dying. She realized that Naraku was holding her aloft and strangling her.

_You idiot. You stupid, stupid idiot._ Her left foot told her with enough spite to bring down the pyramids.

_Oh my Life, I'm going to die_. Was all Kagome's Brian had to say on the subject.

_I'm…so…confused!_ Whined Kagome's heart.

_Shut up!_ Yelped the kidney. _You'll kill us all if you waste your strength!_

_Can't…inhale…_ Said the lungs.

_Ack!_ Said the Brain, as it grew fuzzier and fuzzier due to lack of air.

_Hey guys, what's up?_ Asked Inuyasha's left foot as the hanyou himself came barreling into sight on the back of…What on earth was it? It looked like someone had taken some earthquake and mixed it with a mountain spirit and then given it a horse-like form.

Inuyasha snarled at the sight before him. Naraku was glaring in a very annoyed fashion at Inuyasha, at the same time the villain's grip tightened around Kagome's throat and the girl was helplessly scrabbling at the bastard's hands, even as her face turned blue and her eyes started to bulge out. Naraku, thank the Lore, dropped Kagome and turned to face the intruder.

"So, Inuyasha." Naraku said in his slickest voice. "You did come. I must say, I'm not that surprised."

Inuyasha tried his best to look frightening and heroic, but the best he managed was mockingly silly. Mostly because his hair was sticking out at all angles and during the earthquake a bottle of red ink had broken over his head and his ears, forehead and most of his hair was a sort if dark pink.

It went very with his red haori, but that wasn't what he had been going for.

_Air! Sweet Air! Bless you, oxygen! Bless you!_ Was what all the voices that made up Kagome's body were singing.

"Naraku, leave her alone! Your fight is with me!" Inuyasha declared.

"Actually, this has nothing to do with you, you selfish hanyou." Naraku said coldly. "I know it's remarkable, but I'm actually interested in this girl for her, not for you. Really. I know it must be a blow to hear that something _doesn't_ revolve around you, but you must learn to accept that you are not the Queen of the Universe."

Inuyasha, for a moment, was confused. His mother had always said, "Because I'm the Queen of the Universe and I said so" whenever she wanted him to do something that he didn't understand, so what on earth did that have-oh! The little cretin was insulting Inuyasha's masculinity! The _nerve_!

"_Vile wretch_!" The hanyou screeched and leaped toward Naraku, claws extended.

"Tsk tsk, Inuyasha. You should know better." Naraku said, and jumped out of the way. "If you kill me, the curse can never be lifted."

Inuyasha froze.

"Let's review the curse, shall we? You'll always be guilt ridden, you'll never be able to experience any extreme, whether happiness or anger, terror or bliss, without going off the deep end. You'll never be able to release your substantial control over your temper, lest you murder all your friends and family and anyone else who happens to meet you before the government sends in it's military to put you down like a rabid dog. One wrong move on anyone's part, and you become neither man nor beast, yet with elements of both. Neither here, nor there. You will never be happy, and you will always live in fear of what you might do, every waking second and every sleeping one."

"…How does killing you make that _at all worse_!" Inuyasha screeched and leapt again.

"Because if you kill another soul, you really _will_ lose it. Coward." Naraku started to laugh and Inuyasha stared in horror, trying to weigh pros and cons but the horrible grating laughter was getting into his head, soaking into ever bit of sensible thought! Then there was a coughing noise from the corner and Kagome sat up.

"Oh good." She rasped. "Because you haven't got a soul. So Inuyasha can kill you and be just fine, thank you very much."

"I do too have a soul!" Naraku protested.

"Actually, no you don't." Said yet another new voice. Everyone looked to see Kikyo sitting atop the brick wall that Kagome had tried to climb up earlier. In her hands she had a blue sea glass jar that shone a wispy watery sort of light. She was grinning a grin like the Cheshire Cat, that is to say it had never been so clear that Kikyo was totally and utterly bonkers. "But _I_ do. I've got your soul!"

"Kikyo." Inuyasha whispered.

"Kikyo!" Naraku gasped.

"You crazy bitch." Kagome said appreciatively.

_She's completely right you know._ Said Kikyo's left foot. _You really are a crazy bitch_. Kikyo frowned at the appendage.

"Shut it." She told her foot, and the three persons below wondered why she had just told her left foot to shut it.

"…Well, so what if you have my soul!" Naraku demanded. "And I'm not ever going to ask how you found it!"

"Just to prove a point." Kikyo shrugged. "If he ain't got no soul, then you can't fight him physically, can you? He'll just come straight back to life, won't he? Magic, on the other hand, now that'd work."

"Kikyo, darling." Naraku sighed despairingly. "Grammar."

"**I know not this Kikyo of which you speak**." Kikyo said in a dark and dangerous monotone. She then looked down at the glass in her hands. "**Ooo. Shiny**." She said in the same monotone and, before anyone could stop her, uncorked the bottle and swallowed the soul inside. Then she looked back at Naraku. "**You know**," she said. "**You really shouldn't leave your soul next to your map of where the Shikon no Tama is. You know, that thing to break the Hanyou's curse. It is bad luck. I think it is jinxed**." Naraku stared at her.

"You just gave away my evil plot and ate my soul." Naraku gaped. "I want a divorce!"

Kikyo just giggled and skipped away. Kagome, watching her leave with eyes that shone with something akin to hero worship, just said once more-

"You _crazy, crazy_ bitch."

Inuyasha merely pointed at Naraku. "Sic." Our hero said, and suddenly Naraku found himself accosted by ten different Earth Elementals, all armed with grass blade swords and sediment rock maces. One even had a glaive made out of acorn shells and many had bows made out of pebbles and pine needles. Clingy showed up, and played the musical rocks as war drums.

Naraku laughed, again, and it didn't take long to see that Inuyasha, who was sweating like a pig with all the energy it took to keep his magic fighting, was losing.

"You spent all your strength making that thing!" Naraku said triumphantly. "You'll never best me like this!"

Inuyasha just closed his eyes and concentrated harder. He _couldn't_ lose. Not after seeing Kagome, being strangled to death in front of him. What was _wrong_ with him? Why couldn't he punish this bastard for hurting the girl he loved?!

At this thought a new wave of fierce rage and even fiercer protectiveness washed over Inuyasha and he fought even harder, feeding his energy to the Elementals to keep them going, but it wasn't enough.

Kagome watched desperately. She had to do something, and there was only one thing she could think to do. Once again she cast out her net of awareness to That World.

_Please_! She called out. _Please help him_!

Suddenly an angry army of Water Elementals leapt to her command. Fierce and strong and _pissed_. Briefly and faintly, Kagome wondered whatever had Naraku done to make the Water Elementals hate him with the fervent passion she could practically taste. But this was irrelevant.

_Help him_! She cried pointing at Inuyasha, and the Water Elementals rushed to do her bidding.

Now, dear reader, a slightly lesson on Elementals.

There are, of course, four. Well, four standard ones. Two we will not come across in this story, and those are the Fire Elementals and the Air Elementals. Air and Fire feed one another, As Earth and Water feed one another. Fire can't abide Water though, and vice versa. Flee if ever an Air and Earth Elemental are within killing range, because you can be sure that's exactly what they'll do. Fire and Earth get along just fine. The same can be said for Air and Water, they're pretty neutral.

The point is, dear reader, that if you give Fire Air, Fire will roar.

Give Earth Water, and Earth will bloom.

And bloom Earth did.

Well, it was a really violent bloom, more like a boom, but you get the picture.

Before the last dusting of Naraku's disintegrated corpse had blown away in the magic-induced wind Kagome threw herself into Inuyasha's surprised but welcoming arms. Kagome pressed her face in the crook of the hanyou's neck and drew in a great shuddering breath. She allowed Inuyasha's smell and warmth and strength to wash away the horror and the stress, leaving her relaxed and comfortable. _Hmmm…_Kagome suddenly got a deliciously (if wildly inappropriate considering the surroundings. It _was_ a disaster zone, after all) evil idea.

Inuyasha, for his part, was shocked beyond belief. Kagome…was hugging him. Why was Kagome hugging him? Not that he didn't _like_ it, but…oh my dear gods…She'd just kissed his neck._ That…Erk…I…She…_

Inuyasha, to his credit, then did the very smartest thing he could have possibly done. He raised her chin with a crooked little finger, and he kissed her back.

For a very long time.

_It's like a firework display_. Said Kagome's right foot wonderingly. _A passionate, beautiful, firework display_.

And for once, no left foots has any comebacks.

And while the kiss didn't measure up to any grand kiss from one of the great romances of all time, it was one of those kisses that make you smile and go _Awwww_. It was one of those kisses that make you feel light and happy and contented. Especially if you're the one doing the kissing. The hearts of Kagome and Inuyasha were soaring lighter then air in total elation (much to everyone's annoyance) and the two lovebirds themselves, rumor has it, even started to levitate a little bit themselves.

Once they'd slobbered on each other's faces long enough to run out of oxygen, Kagome drew back and smiled shiningly at him.

"I'm…not very good with…love confessions," Inuyasha said haltingly. Kagome shook her head.

"Neither am I." She said.

"Then I shall say them for you." Said yet _another_ new, but familiar, voice from the opening mouth of the alley. Shocked beyond belief (who would have expected _this_ on top of everything else?) Kagome and Inuyasha, still in their passionate embrace, turned to find Miroku and Sango looking at them wryly. Sango was holding back giggles, and Miroku, who was shaking his head from side to side, smiled affectionately before continuing.

"Kagome, you love Inuyasha. Inuyasha, you love Kagome. Now may you both kiss again and then live happily ever after. Or at least live We-Get-Along-Sort-Of ever after."

"Dear, I do believe we missed something." Sango managed to say to her new husband between giggles.

Inuyasha and Kagome gaped.

"When did you get back?!" Kagome demanded. Her two friends flapped their hands in dismissal of the question.

"We're going back to the Feudal Era Mansion. See you there." Sango said, and she and Miroku started to stroll off. "We just wanted to make sure that neither of you were dead. But we've got to get back now, all the horses got out and it'll be neigh impossible to catch them all before Kanna sees if we don't get a head start now." As was their want, Sango and Miroku disappeared as suddenly as they had arrived. Kagome made to follow, but Inuyasha refused to let go. She looked up at him, and was surprised to find his face scrunched up in confusion.

"Inuyasha?" She asked.

"Was Miroku right?" Inuyasha asked suddenly. "About…Us?" Kagome didn't even hesitated. She just gave him a big wet smack-er-roo and nodded gleefully.

"He's a wise old man, that Miroku." Kagome told Inuyasha with a wink. "Who knew?" Inuyasha found he was too choked to reply, for some reason a mysterious lump had formed in his throat. But Inuyasha could care less whether or not he could talk. What good were words, anyway? Words were useless.

Hugs, on the other hand. And touch. Now, with hugs and touch you could really _say_ something.

Inuyasha held Kagome tighter then he'd ever dared before, and allowed all the fear and hurt and horror he'd been holding back to just wash over him.

She had almost died.

She had almost _died_.

The word "almost" as in her face was still tinged purple and he could smell her blood and see the hand shaped bruises around her neck. He could hear the trouble her lungs were having from the raspy breaths she was drawing in, this was an affliction she wasn't even _aware_ of!

He was goddamned lucky that he'd gotten here on time to stop Naraku from strangling her until she died.

He was even luckier, luckier beyond comprehension, that she hadn't died anyway. She didn't have internal bleeding, he could tell by the smell. He could also tell from her scent and his hearing that the damage to her lungs would heal in time, and so would the little things like bruises and cuts.

But she loved him? Really? Even after all he'd done to her?

Inuyasha and Kagome stayed like that, just hugging one another, for a very long time.

* * *

_Whew! That was long! 24 pages in Word. _

_You lot better appreciate it! _

_(Glares half-heartedly)_

_Anyway, so I'm thinking my next fanfic will be an AU Mystery about what appears to be petty jewelry thievery, but is in fact something much, much more._

_...Eh, so far it's better then it sounds. Why! I've even planned it out!_

_Starring Kagome as a daring, bold and stubborn jewelry store clerk and amateur detective, Miroku as her best friend, co-worker and fellow amateur detective, Inuyasha as Tall, Handsome And Mysterious Asshole Who Knows More Then He's Telling and new boarder, Sango as the detective, Sesshomaru as the chief of police, yadda yadda yadda. Basically, the whole gang's gonna be there. We'll make it a party. _

_Till next time!_

_Oh, heads up, the next chapter is, unless I'm very much mistaken, going to be the very last chapter._

_Sincerely_

_Pwalefriend_


	44. Let's Go Exploring

""_**Thank goodness!" said Bilbo laughing, and handed him the tobacco-jar."**_

_**-J. R. R. Tolkien, **__**The Hobbit**_

_**(The very last sentence of **__**The Hobbit**__**, to be precise)**_

…

_**A special and warm round of appreciative applause for…**_

_**kittyb78…Tsukari0504…TrueBelle…bdrake07…Avelyn Lauren…readingwriting wench…Goddess of the Moonlit Sky…sweetrosie…Ayjah…Al…Denarius…ffgirlmoonie… Watching Eternity…TouchofPixieDust…Sessluva…5redroses… WhyWhatShutUp…I Laught At Ur Pain…MeiunTenshi… Raine44354…pixiepuff101…**_

…

_I would especially like to thank Denarius for an amazing and inspiring review, I am honored by your honesty and praise and critisism. I too would like to see myself develop as an author and I have just recently realized that I __**should**__ develop. I hope you continue reading my work and honoring me with your reviews! Normally I would have just responded to your review the normal way, but I wasn't able to do so. Thank you so much!_

_Disclaimer:_

_Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or any copyrighted products and/or ideas._

…

_Mr. X: …That's it?_

_Pwale: Well, I thought it would be cool if I used the same disclaimer I used in the first chapter._

_Mr. X: …Pwale, we've been through a lot with this story, with the getting to know each other, that inconclusive adventure with Al, all sorts of things._

_Pwale: Yep._

_Mr. X: And this is the very last chapter of the story that brought us together._

_Pwale: …Yeah…_

_Mr. X: And Pwale, I gotta tell you. You're bringing down the party!_

_Pwale: Huh?_

_Mr. X: Come on now! We'll all be here in the next story! No one's going anywhere._

_Inuyasha: Don't say that, Mr. X. It makes the nightmare so much more real when you say that._

_Mr. X (Ignoring the hanyou): Now Pwale. Say it so that the nice readers, who are beloved and kept you writing, can get on with their chapter._

_Pwale: I don't own the characters._

_(Sniff)_

…

_**The Stamp Of Gold**_

_**Let's Go Exploring**_

_By Pwalefriend_

…

Inuyasha and Kagome didn't go ride off into the sunset, of course it wasn't that easy. For one thing they had to go home and help Sango and Miroku clean up the house. For another they had family who, they learned, were gallivanting the globe searching for Sango and Miroku. Apparently the newly-weds had returned early because they figured home would be the last place anyone would look for them. And for a third thing Kagome and Inuyasha were far too sensible to tie the knot right then and there. Love can only get you so far, after all. You also have to enjoy each others company, be able to forgive each other, let alone the fact that you need to be able to communicate with your partner to have a healthy relationship.

And then yet another thing was the curse.

You, dear reader, expect that the curse is magically lifted due to some heroics, and what reason would you have to expect anything else? But it's a little bit more complicated then that.

Kikyo disappeared the night of the earthquake, no one ever saw her after that and she presumed dead before long. The thing was, she took all of Naraku's treasured documents and articles with her, including the map that showed the whereabouts of this Shikon no Tama, a jewel (they learned from discussing things with Kaede and Myoga) that could grant any wish and was the only way to break Inuyasha's curse. They had nothing to go on and only Myoga and Kaede had ever even heard of the Shikon no Tama before, though they were both in total agreement that it was the one and only way to break the curse and they were shocked that they'd never thought of it before.

One day, Kagome and Inuyasha were taking one of their walks through the woods (avoiding the spot where Koga had been killed, at least for the time being) and Kagome asked Inuyasha a question that revolutionized his life.

"Is the curse such a terrible thing, that we need to spend all this time and money looking for a hunk of shiny rock?" Kagome asked. Inuyasha yelped and gestured wildly in the air.

"You saw what I can do, Kagome! I murdered Koga! Next time it might not be the bad guys! What's _wrong_ with you?!"

Kagome sighed.

"Yeah, well, Inuyasha…" Kagome frowned a little bit, thinking hard. "Everyone can lose it. It's always lingering on the very edge of our minds, you know? I think that's the reason humans make up so many rules and laws, because somewhere deep down we know we're just a bunch of monkeys who started walking on two legs to avoid drowning when they crossed the river to get more food. So…Maybe what you've got isn't a big bad curse, maybe it's just that a bit of your denial was taken away."

"But I'm not human." Inuyasha argued. Kagome looked him up and down, and shrugged again.

"Maybe there was some sort of dog monkey that you evolved from that they still haven't discovered yet." She offered. Inuyasha gave her a look that made it clear that he thought that idea was just _stupid_. Kagome giggled and, standing on her tippy-toes, gave him a quiet peck. "C'mon, lover boy. Let's get back before lunch. Just think it over, 'kay?"

Another development Kagome noticed not to soon after everyone else returned was that Satsuki and Shippo took special amounts of time and energy for each other, and that Rin followed Kohaku around like a lost puppy. Kagome asked Shippo and Satsuki (separately, of course) if either of them was holding a torch for the other. She was met, of course, with fiery and passionate denials and vows that there was nothing but animosity between the little boy and the little girl. Afterwards Shippo promptly pulled Satsuki's ponytail and chanted a name-calling song at her, and Satsuki burst into tears. Inuyasha, who walked in at that moment, wondered what on earth was wrong with Kagome when she sighed dreamily and (staring at the pair with something akin to cow eyes) said-

"Young love!"

Despite all these things, all these improvements, nothing felt quite resolved until one day when there was a knock at the door.

Sango opened the door and found, to her surprise, a very smart looking salesman wearing a black suit and a bowler. He was wearing thin glasses and had curly reddish brown hair that fell past his ears. He was familiar…he had been the salesman who Kagome had saved from the yeti! _Damn_, Sango thought. _That seems like __**forever**__ ago, but it was only this winter. Ohhh, I'm __**old**_ He grinned at her.

"Ma'am," he said. "I was wondering if you would be interested in-_Mademoiselle!" _He shouted suddenly, catching sight of Kagome. He pushed past Sango and knelt in front of Kagome, who lifted her hand to her mouth.

"Ah…" Kagome said, recognizing the young man who she had saved from the monster when she had first discovered her powers.

"I never got to properly thank you for the generous life saving this winter!" He said. "Please, accept this stamp of gold as my way of apologizing." He pressed a small golden stamp, just like the one she had wanted (Kagome had never gotten that pretty little stamp in the store window that she had always coveted, it had been looted after the earthquake), into her hand.

"Oh," Kagome said, noticing the glowering Inuyasha behind her. He probably was going to try and kill the poor man if she didn't do something. "That's all right, I-"

"Now, now!" The man insisted, standing up and closing her hand around the stamp. "Surely Mademoiselle will not deny my thanks!" He looked hurt, and held his hands to his heart in a tragic position. "Thanks to her I can finally go to Paris like I've always wanted, with no fear of being used or destroyed.

"But," he changed his tune immediately, suddenly once again becoming the very suave salesman. "If you want to keep it buisness-like, I'm happy to comply. Word on the street is you're a teacher, I have here some fine books, very fine indeed."

Miroku, coming down the stairs with the children, raised his eyebrow. It had been a while since he had heard _that_ particular English accent. It was almost cockney, only with all the letters intact.

"And they are all incredibly suitable for the classroom, Mademoiselle." The salesman was saying. "I have a list of them right here." He took a folded piece of paper out of his pocket and handed it to her.

"Look here you." Inuyasha interrupted. "We don't want anythi-"

"And you sir look like a fine young man." The salesman said, immediately changing targets. "A fine young man indeed. _In fact_ I've got some perfect pocket watches for you right here, perfect for a man as fine as you, right here." The salesman opened up his suit coat to reveal quite a lot of golden pocket watches. "They keep perfect time." He said. "I guarantee absolutely perfect time!"

No one had ever called Inuyasha a "fine young man" before. He'd been called many things, and Kagome even sometimes used the word "fine" (though in _very_ different ways, and were usually accompanied by words like "buff") sometimes when they were…_all alone_. But no one had ever called him "fine young man" before.

"Oh, well, maybe just one…" Inuyasha said, reaching for his wallet. Kagome smacked his arm and turned back to the salesman.

"No thank you." She said. "We're fine." A little bit regretfully and certainly slower then necessary she tried to hand back the golden stamp and the list of books.

The salesman backed up and snatched the paper away from Kagome.

Kagura and Kanna pushed their way out of the kitchen door, hearing the commotion and wondering what all the fuss was about. Kanna saw the salesman, and promptly turned around and went back into the kitchen. She just _really_ didn't want to deal with something like _him._ He'd _never_ shown even the _slightest_ bit of interest in her horses. All he _ever_talked about was stupid _Paris_.

Kagura was older, and her memory wasn't as keen. She frowned. Who was this man? She _knew_ that she knew him from somewhere! Who was he? Had they met at a party or something? She hated it when that happened. You met someone nice at a party, you talked about jobs and families and the dinner spread, and then later in life you'd walk by them on the street and the two of you would smile as friendly as possible while trying desperately to remember the other persons name and where on Earth you knew them from. Wait a minute…Wasn't he that man Naraku had kept in that tiny little cave out in the middle of nowhere?

"Are you sure?" The salesman said, backing out of the door. "I've got everything, absolutely _everything_! No? Alright then." But as he turned around, Shippo called out in jest.

"Have you got the Shikon no Tama?"

The salesman froze, then spun around on his feet.

"The Shikon no Tama??" He said, grinning like a wolf. "Well, why didn't you say so in the first place?"

Inuyasha started forward, but the salesman held up his hands.

"But I'm afraid you can't have it." He said. "It's going to Paris, just like it's always wanted."

"What?" Kagome gasped. "What do you mean?"

The salesman grinned even wider.

"Mademoiselle," He said with an elaborate bow, touching his hat. "I _am_ the Shikon no Tama."

And with that he turned on his feet and left, whistling a merry, merry tune.

And he lived happily ever after and was a very successful Parisian pastry cook.

As for what happened to Kagome and Inuyasha, well, what do you think, dear reader? Kagome finished her degree from home and raised Shippo as her own. She taught all three children, and sooner rather then later opened a small school for all the children at the Feudal Era Mansion. It grew and grew until it was an internationally acclaimed university, specializing in tolerance studies, martial arts and experimental research. When Kagome and Inuyasha, who had been running the university, finally decided to retire to a life of laughter and luxery it was taken over by Shippo and Satsuki, who were married, and Kagome's eldest son Genji.

The whole family grew and grew. They fought, they struggled. Because the household was so huge and the presence of Kagome's family eroded the boundries between lord and servant, the house that had once been just a house became a university, which then became a collage town, which then became a city, which then took over the country, and after that it was only a short time until the entire world was an academia.

Of course, this all happened in an alternate dimension, now didn't it? And Kagome and Inuyasha, who naturally were never quite aware of ruling the world though they were aware that all these presidents and kings and such kept electing them more paperwork, lived happily every other day or so, because the rest of the time they got in loud and fiery rows. But they were still in love and whenever things got too bad they went to see a shrink.

And, most importantly, every year for their birthdays they got a big basket of sweets from a certain famous Parisian pastry chef.

And that's all there is, there isn't anymore.

…

_And so it ends!_

_I know, I know. I'm crying too. _

_As a last word I would like to thank you all for accompanying me on this journey, whether you've been reading since the beginning or came in later in the game and everyplace in between. If I've made any of you laugh sincerely just once, then I consider this story a success._

_Please review this chapter, it's the last one in this story._

_Thank you, and good luck!_

_I hope to see you all again in my next story._

_Sincerely, and with great amounts of love and affection, _

_Pwalefriend_


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